Tai Po Hui Market to close early today for deep cleaning and disinfection

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (August 7) announced that in view of a recent preliminary confirmed case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) found to be related to Tai Po Hui Market, to safeguard the health and safety of market stall tenants and the public, the market will be closed an hour earlier today at 7pm for deep cleaning and disinfection.

     During the period, FEHD staff will thoroughly clean and disinfect communal areas and facilities in the market, and call for co-operation of market tenants to conduct cleaning and disinfection at their respective stalls, with a view to improving the overall hygiene condition of the market. In addition, the FEHD will carry out deep cleaning work at the periphery of the market and nearby streets. The cleaning and disinfection work is expected to last about four hours.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "The FEHD attaches importance to the hygiene conditions of public markets. In addition to regular cleaning work in the daytime, market service contractors also conduct a thorough cleaning in all markets after the markets are closed every day. During this epidemic period, the FEHD has already stepped up cleaning and disinfection of communal areas and facilities in the markets, including toilets, escalators, elevators and stair handrails with diluted household bleach regularly every day. Disinfectant hand sanitisers are also provided in the markets for public use.

     "Moreover, starting from late July, the FEHD has progressively arranged a voluntary one-off free COVID-19 testing service for staff of market stalls and personnel working in markets. No online registration is required. The FEHD works closely with the testing agency to determine the priority of various markets with reference to a risk-based approach and manpower resources. The agency has distributed specimen bottles to operators of market stalls or personnel working in Tai Po Hui Market.”

     The FEHD will continue to closely monitor the situation of each market, and will conduct deep cleaning and disinfection work in other markets if necessary so as to maintain environmental hygiene.