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     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (September 30) that in order to put vacant stalls in public markets into more effective use and to provide job opportunities for the grassroots, open auctions for a total of 138 vacant stalls in 33 public markets will be held in October.
 
     The retail commodities allowed for sale in these stalls cover non-food related dry or wet goods, food related dry or wet goods, fresh meat, fish, siu mei and lo mei, etc. The tenancy agreement is a one-year fixed term from November this year, with no right of renewal upon expiry of the tenancy agreement. Depending on the size and location of individual stalls, the upset price of the monthly rent of the stalls ranges from $110 to $11,900. Tenants can enjoy a reduction of the monthly rental by 75 per cent from November this year to next March.
 
     A spokesman for the FEHD said, “Bidders for the market stalls must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. To allow more people to bid for the stalls and increase customer choices by enhancing the diversity in terms of variety of stalls, there will be a limit on the number of stalls to be rented by a single tenant. No person who is renting a stall under the one-year short term tenancy scheme is allowed to rent more than one stall of a one-year short term tenancy in the same market. Also, any person who is currently a stall tenant is not allowed to bid in the first round of auction for any stalls in the same market, but will only be allowed to bid on one stall in the second round of auction.”
 
     Dates and venues of the auctions and the number of stalls are as follows:

Hong Kong Island and Islands District
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Auction date: October 11 (Monday)
Auction venue: Room 915, 9/F, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building
Number of stalls: 64

New Territories
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Auction date: October 20 (Wednesday)
Auction venue: Kwai Fong Community Hall
Number of stalls: 44

Kowloon
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Auction date: October 25 (Monday)
Auction venue: Room 410, 4/F, FEHD Nam Cheong Offices and Vehicle Depot
Number of stalls: 30

     To reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, persons entering the auction venue are required to pay attention to and comply with the preventive measures implemented at the auction venue, including temperature checks before admission and mask wearing at all times.
 
     Details of the auction of public market stalls will be uploaded to the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk). Bidders interested in the auction may visit the department’s website or contact the respective District Environmental Hygiene Office. read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (September 29) investigating an outbreak of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) at a kindergarten/nursery in Lai Chi Kok, and appealed to members of the public and staff of institutions to stay alert and maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene.

     The outbreak involves 20 pupils, comprising 13 boys and seven girls between 2 and 3 years old. They developed fever, cough, sore throat and runny nose since September 20. Fourteen of them sought medical attention and none required hospitalisation. All of them are in stable condition.

     Officers of the CHP have advised the kindergarten/nursery to adopt necessary infection control measures against respiratory infections. The kindergarten/nursery has been put under medical surveillance. In addition, since the symptoms of URTI are similar to those of COVID-19, for prudence’s sake, the kindergarten/nursery was covered in the compulsory testing notice (CTN) on September 21 to exclude the possibility of COVID-19 infection. The kindergarten/nursery has already suspended teaching activities for at least five days for cleaning and executing the CTN.

     The public should maintain good personal and environmental hygiene against influenza and other respiratory illnesses and note the following:
 

• Receive seasonal influenza vaccination for personal protection;
• Surgical masks can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses from ill persons. It is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask;
• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
• Avoid touching one’s eyes, mouth and nose;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
• When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;
• Cover the nose and mouth with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
• Maintain good indoor ventilation;
• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending classes at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and
• Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

     â€‹â€‹Members of the public, particularly children, the elderly and those with chronic diseases, should wear a face mask and consult a doctor promptly if they develop symptoms of respiratory tract infection. read more