Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
CHP investigates imported measles case and starts providing free measles vaccinations to eligible airport staff
Details of imported measles case
—————————————-
The case involves a 31-year-old female with good past health. She has developed a fever and muscle aches since April 19, followed by a rash on April 22. She attended a private clinic on the same day and was referred to the Accident and Emergency Department of North Lantau Hospital. The CHP subsequently arranged for her admission to Princess Margaret Hospital for isolation and treatment. Her clinical specimen was tested positive for the measles virus upon nucleic acid testing. The patient remains hospitalised with mild symptoms and is in stable condition.
The CHP’s epidemiological investigation revealed that the patient travelled to Vietnam with family and friends during the incubation period (between April 9 and 12). Since there is currently a measles outbreak in Vietnam and the patient had no contact with anyone infected with measles in Hong Kong, the case is classified as imported.
An initial investigation revealed that the patient was not born in Hong Kong, but according to the information she provided, she had received measles vaccines in her country of birth. She is a flight attendant but has no connection to the earlier airport cluster of cases
Measles vaccination booth at airport begins operation
——————————————————————-
Currently, measles outbreaks continue to occur worldwide. Given that airport staff frequently come into contact with large numbers of travellers and that a higher proportion of employees in the airport community are not born locally and may not have received the measles vaccine during childhood, the risk of measles transmission is relatively high. During the investigation into the recent cluster involving three airport backend support staff, the CHP found that approximately 30 per cent of the airport staff, especially those who were not born in Hong Kong, were unsure whether they had completed the two-dose measles vaccination series. In order to prevent another measles outbreak among airport staff, the CHP has set up a vaccination booth at the airport starting today to provide local airport staff with free measles vaccination. Under the coordination of the CHP and the Airport Authority Hong Kong, approximately 75 eligible airport staff received vaccinations in an orderly manner today.
The CHP urged all airport staff, especially those non-locally born people, to review their vaccination records as soon as possible. The measles vaccination service targets Hong Kong airport staff who have not received two doses of the measles vaccine and have never had measles. If a Hong Kong airport employee has undergone a blood test confirming a positive reaction to measles antibodies (IgG), vaccination is not required.
Taking into account the vaccinations administered last week by the CHP to contacts working at the airport who were linked to the aforementioned cluster of measles cases, a cumulative total of over 430 airport staff have now received measles vaccinations. So far, no secondary transmission among close contacts of the measles cluster has been detected. The CHP will continue to investigate and follow up on the abovementioned measles cluster, and conduct medical surveillance of close contacts.
Non-airport staff should also review their vaccination records
——————————————————————–
Under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, the overall immunisation coverage in Hong Kong has been maintained at a very high level through the immunisation services provided by the DH’s Maternal and Child Health Centres and School Immunisation Teams. As evidenced by the findings on vaccination coverage of primary school students and the territory-wide immunisation surveys conducted regularly by the DH, the two-dose measles vaccination coverage has remained consistently high, well above 95 per cent, and the local seroprevalence rates of measles virus antibodies reflect that most people in Hong Kong are immune to measles.
However, since measles outbreaks are currently occurring in many regions around the world, Hong Kong, as a city with a high volume of international travel, still faces the potential risk of importation of the measles virus and its further spread in the local community. A small number of people who have not completed a measles vaccination (such as non-locally born people including new immigrants, foreign domestic helpers, overseas employees and people coming to Hong Kong for further studies) are still at risk of being infected and spreading measles to other people who do not have immunity against measles, such as children under 1 year old who have not yet received the first dose of the measles vaccine.
In response to the global rise in measles cases and the risk of imported cases, the CHP sent a letter to all doctors in Hong Kong earlier, informing them of the latest situation regarding measles and urging them to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases. In addition to the airport industry mentioned above, the CHP has also sent a letter to foreign domestic helper agencies earlier, encouraging foreign domestic helpers to receive the measles vaccine to protect their health and prevent the spread of the virus in the community.
The incubation period of measles (i.e. the time from infection to onset of illness) is seven to 21 days. Symptoms include fever, skin rash, cough, runny nose and red eyes. If travellers returning from places with a high incidence or an outbreak of measles develop symptoms of measles (e.g. fever and rash), they should seek medical advice immediately and avoid contact with non-immune persons, especially pregnant women and infants under 1 year old. They should also report their symptoms and prior travel history to healthcare workers so that appropriate infection control measures can be implemented at the healthcare facilities to prevent any potential spread.
The Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme introduced a measles vaccine for the first time in 1967. Since then, the incidence of measles has gradually decreased. People born and raised in Hong Kong before 1967 can be considered to have acquired immunity to measles through natural infection, as measles was endemic in Hong Kong at that time. People born in Hong Kong in or after 1967 who have not yet completed the two doses of measles vaccination, or whose measles vaccination history is unknown, should consult their family doctors as soon as possible to complete the vaccination and ensure adequate protection against measles. For more information on measles, the public may visit the CHP’s measles thematic page
Issued at HKT 20:10
NNNN
Appeal for information on missing woman in Ma On Shan
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appeal for information on missing woman in Ma On Shan
She is about 1.6 metres tall, about 43 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a long face with yellow complexion and long black straight hair. She was last seen wearing a white shirt, grey trousers, slippers and a pair of black-rimmed glasses.Issued at HKT 20:03
NNNN
HKSARG Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments delegation continues visit to Chengdu
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
A delegation of Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government on a national affairs study led by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, today (April 24) continued their itinerary in Chengdu and visited the Chengdu Wenjiang High-tech Industrial Park.
The Park serves as a hub for Sichuan Province in innovative pharmaceuticals, nuclear medicine, high-end medical devices, green food and the silver economy, as well as a national demonstration base for new industrialisation.
Mrs Yeung said that the National 15th Five-Year Plan has indicated clear support for Hong Kong’s development into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre and acceleration of the development of the Northern Metropolis. I&T is a core element in driving the high-quality economic development and fostering new quality productive forces in Hong Kong. The visits to the supercomputing centre, the enterprise specialising in the research and development of low-altitude aircraft, and the successful experiences of new area construction over the past two days are all beneficial to colleagues in the preparation of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and for their future work.
The delegation also visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and the Sanxingdui Museum today to understand local developments in culture, conservation and tourism. In addition, they visited the Dujiangyan Irrigation System to learn how this long-established and large-scale irrigation system benefits the public.
Mrs Yeung said that Sichuan Province has a profound historical and cultural heritage with rich tourism resources. Its experiences in the in-depth integration of culture and tourism, collaboration between cultural tourism and commerce, and tourism brand building serve as good references and have significance for cultural exploration and education.
Members of the delegation of Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments on a national affairs study will visit the Hong Kong and Sichuan Youth’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Community tomorrow (April 25).
LegCo Panel on Housing visits Hong Kong Housing Society’s Dedicated Rehousing Estate Casa Sierra
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LegCo Panel on Housing visits Hong Kong Housing Society’s Dedicated Rehousing Estate Casa Sierra
Members first received a briefing from the HKHS Chairman, Professor Ling Kar-kan, on the design and features of Casa Sierra. Representatives of the HKHS also demonstrated the applications of gerontechnology solutions. One of the examples is the introduction of an AI robot and a robotic personal trainer which helps enhance interaction with the elderly and promote healthy lifestyles among them.
Members also toured the show flats at Casa Sierra. The estate offers diverse housing types, including 1 467 rental units, subsidised sale flats and Senior Citizen Residences Scheme units. Among these, the rental units and subsidised sale flats serve as a rehousing option for households affected by the Government’s development clearance exercises. Apart from gaining a better understanding of the features of the subsidised sale flats and the Senior Citizen Residences Scheme units, Members exchanged views with the Government and HKHS representatives on how to create safer homes for the elderly.
In addition, Members noted that the HKHS is gradually implementing Internet of Things (IoT) in property management, and they observed a demonstration of smart property management measures, such as the use of robotic patrol dogs and AI cleaning robots. Members encouraged the HKHS to adopt more innovative technologies to improve estate management efficiency and service quality, thereby enhancing the living environment for the residents.
A total of 13 members and non-members of the Panel on Housing participated in the visit.
Issued at HKT 19:01
NNNN
413 residents return to units
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Today was the fifth day of phased arrangements for residents of seven blocks of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po to return to their units.
Five low-zone floors of Wang Cheong House and 10 middle-zone floors of Wang Yan House were opened. A total of 417 people from 117 households registered to return to their units today through the “one social worker per household” service, while 413 people from 114 households actually turned up. The Government said the access arrangements were carried out in an orderly manner.
The average time residents spent entering and leaving the building today was two hours and 28 minutes, with the shortest time being 20 minutes and the longest three hours and 52 minutes.
About 24% of the residents stayed in the building for less than two hours, while around 4% of the residents stayed for less than one hour.
A total of 129 people from 61 households went up and down the building more than once. Among them, 78 people from 33 households made one additional trip, 32 people from 17 households made two additional trips, 13 people from seven households made three additional trips, and six people from four households made four additional trips.
The integrated enquiry counter today received five cases requesting police assistance. These cases involved suspected loss of property, including watches, jewellery, cash and gold items. Officers were immediately deployed to assist in searches, and lost property was recovered in all the cases.
The Government outlined that it deploys over 1,000 personnel from various departments each day, including staff from Police, the Civil Aid Service, the Fire Services Department, the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Home Affairs Department, the Social Welfare Department, the Housing Department, and the Housing Bureau, to support the residents returning to their units.
At the same time, under the Government-wide Mobilisation mechanism, the Civil Service Bureau co-ordinated nine government departments to mobilise civil servants to form the Government Quick Response Unit to support these access arrangements. The civil servants mobilised today are from the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department and the Leisure & Cultural Services Department.
Sui, Tang dynasty relics showcased
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
An artefact exhibition on the Sui and Tang dynasties jointly presented by the Leisure & Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration will be held at the Museum of History from tomorrow to August 24. Admission is free.
The exhibition “The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Prosperity and Magnificence – Civilisation of the Sui and Tang Dynasties in Shaanxi Province” features a selection of over 165 sets of artefacts from Shaanxi and Hong Kong, of which 18 sets are grade-one national treasures.
Being the third exhibition of the LCSD’s General History of China Series, this exhibition journeys through the Wei, Jin and Northern and Southern dynasties, the Sui dynasty, and mainly narrates the grandeur of the Tang dynasty, exploring its historical context and development origins.
Addressing the opening ceremony today, Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law said the LCSD’s General History of China Series allows the public, especially the younger generation, to gain a coherent understanding of the long history of China and a more comprehensive grasp of the profound connotations of Chinese culture.
She noted that the previous two exhibitions under the series have attracted a more than 420,000 total attendance, including 15,000 teachers and students.
Miss Law added that Chang’an, the capital of the Tang dynasty, was a world-renowned international metropolis. Meanwhile, Hong Kong is an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange today.
She said Hong Kong shares similar open and inclusive characteristics as Chang’an, promoting the deep integration of diverse ethnic cultures. Both cities also play crucial bridging roles in cultural and artistic exchange, showcasing the unique charm of gateway cities.
She urged visitors to appreciate the treasures of ancient Chinese civilisation and experience the profound heritage and unique charm of Chinese culture in the exhibition.
Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony included Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Hua You, Deputy Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration Wang Runlu, and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural & Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Lin Nan.
SJ meets prosecutor-general
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, on the last day of his visit to Beijing today, called on the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) and visited the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to explore development opportunities for Hong Kong’s legal services.
In the morning, Mr Lam met SPP Prosecutor-General Ying Yong. They exchanged views on arranging training and exchanges on foreign-related legal issues and the common law system for Mainland prosecutors, as well as co-organising capacity-building programmes. Mr Lam also thanked the SPP for supporting Hong Kong in hosting the 15th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference last year.
Mr Lam then met AIIB President Zou Jiayi to learn about the progress of the AIIB’s office establishment in Hong Kong, explore opportunities for collaboration between the AIIB and Hong Kong’s legal sector, and for further choosing Hong Kong’s legal services.
Having concluded his visit to Beijing, the legal chief returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.
CS concludes Korea visit
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
On the last day of a visit to South Korea, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, leading a delegation of the Working Group on Planning & Construction of the University Town, met a local official and toured the Incheon Global Campus.
The working groups falls under the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis.
In the morning, the delegation met Vice Mayor for Political Affairs of Global City of Incheon Metropolitan City Shin Jae-kyung, to learn about the city’s vision and plans for the development a university town.
The delegates also learned about the city’s multipronged strategies to nurture top-tier talent and develop key sectors such as biotechnology, smart city infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.
Mr Chan remarked that Incheon’s vibrant higher education sector, integrating advanced technology and talent cultivation, puts it among the leading cities in Asia.
He added that the city has attracted numerous international institutions to set up overseas branch campuses there.
Mr Chan said Incheon has also closely linked its university town with surrounding business districts and innovation clusters, creating a robust industry-academia-research ecosystem that will provide a point of refence for the planning and construction of Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT).
Afterwards, the delegation visited the Incheon Global Campus (IGC), a university town that incorporates various overseas institutions under an extended campus model, where students can be awarded the same degree certificates as those conferred by the main campuses of their respective international institutions.
The delegation visited the institutions on the campus and met Chief Executive Officer of the Incheon Global Campus Foundation Byun Ju-young.
They exchanged views on attracting overseas universities, fostering industry-academia-research collaboration, planning and developing shared campus facilities and nurturing talent in a multicultural context.
Mr Chan commented that the IGC’s operating model is innovative and inspiring, adding that the city’s success in bringing together various overseas universities and promoting deep collaboration between academia and industry offers many valuable lessons for Hong Kong.
The NMUT’s development can draw on these lessons to meet the needs of the times and contribute more to the development of higher education in Asia and the world, he added.
Mr Chan also highlighted that there is great potential for collaboration between Hong Kong’s universities and their counterparts at the IGC in areas such as student exchanges and collaborative research, and that he looked forward to seeing strengthened co-operation between the two places.
Mr Chan, Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin and other members of the delegation returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.
Geopark retains global status
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark (Hong Kong Geopark) was confirmed to have passed revalidation and was awarded a certificate, allowing it to retain its global status for a further four-year period, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department said today.
The official confirmation was made at the 224th session of the Executive Board of UNESCO, which concluded yesterday.
The department welcomed the result, stating that conservation, education, green tourism and sustainable development are the primary objectives of Hong Kong Geopark.
It will continue to promote science popularisation, green tourism and the sustainable development of the communities within the Geopark, while protecting Hong Kong’s natural and cultural heritage.
Hong Kong Geopark was designated as a National Geopark of China in 2009 and joined the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) in 2011. After the formalisation of the Geopark Programme by UNESCO in 2015, it was renamed Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark.
According to the guidelines, all UNESCO Global Geoparks must undergo a revalidation process every four years.
Hong Kong Geopark underwent an on-site assessment by evaluators in May last year. The evaluators reviewed the achievements of Hong Kong Geopark over the past four years and held detailed discussions with various stakeholders and partner organisations of the Geopark.
In September last year, the UNESCO Global Geoparks Council recommended that Hong Kong Geopark pass the revalidation with a “green card” while the GGN presented the Best Practice Award to Hong Kong Geopark in recognition of its contributions to preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the Geopark’s communities.
Govt respects Freddy Boey’s decision
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Education Bureau has stated that it is aware of today’s announcement by City University (CityU) regarding Prof Freddy Boey’s resignation as the university’s president, and respects his wishes.
Prof Boey tendered his resignation to the CityU Council citing personal reasons. The university said it will initiate a global search for its next president.
The bureau said the Government respects Prof Boey’s personal wishes and decision, and thanked him for his contributions to the university during his tenure.
Highlighting that the recruitment of a president falls under CityU’s own authority, the Government said it has full confidence in the council in selecting the most suitable candidate based on the university’s long-term interests and development needs.