Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Two incoming passengers convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and alternative smoking products (with photo) Under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.Issued at HKT 20:45
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 3
LCQ15: Promoting student mental health(i) The EDB has all along been requiring primary and secondary schools to report fatal suspected student suicide cases in order to provide appropriate professional support to the schools concerned. The numbers of fatal suspected student suicide cases of primary and secondary students in Hong Kong reported in the past three years (2023 to 2025) are tabulated below. Of the total number of cases reported, about 90 per cent were cases involving secondary students, while those involving primary students accounted for about 10 per cent. Cases involving male students accounted for about 59 per cent of the total number of cases reported, while about 41 per cent were those involving female students.
Year As indicated in relevant international and local studies, suicide (including attempted suicide) is a complicated issue influenced by the interplay of multiple factors, mainly related to interpersonal relationships (including family, social or relationship problems) and personal issues (such as learning and school adjustment, depressed mood and mental illness). Each case has its unique underlying causes.
(ii) To early identify and timely support students at higher suicidal risk, the Government has implemented, through cross-departmental collaboration among the EDB, the HHB and the SWD, the Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism (the Mechanism) in all secondary schools in Hong Kong since December 2023. In the 2025/26 school year, the Mechanism is regularised in all secondary schools across the territory and extended on a trial basis to Primary Four to Six. The number of cases referred by schools/ the EDB under the second-tier mechanism to the off-campus support network teams engaged by the SWD as of end-March 2026, broken down by school year, are tabulated below:
School year(since December 2023)(as of end-March 2026) Under the third-tier mechanism, school principals can directly refer students at high suicidal risk to psychiatric specialist out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority (HA) for assessment and treatment. HA’s specialist out-patient clinics adopt a triage system to ensure that patients with urgent medical conditions requiring early intervention are given priority for follow-up and treatment.
The numbers of cases referred by school principals to HA’s psychiatric services, the percentages of such cases triaged as Priority 1 (urgent) and Priority 2 (semi-urgent), as well as the numbers of enquiry calls received through the dedicated telephone consultation hotline for school principals as of end-March 2026 are tabulated below:
School year(since December 2023)(as of end-March 2026)Note 1: Among the referral cases, the cases other than those triaged as Priority 1 (urgent) and Priority 2 (semi-urgent) were under Routine (stable) category or were already being followed up by the HA’s psychiatric services.
Note 2: The numbers of cases referred by school principals under the third-tier mechanism and the numbers of enquiry calls received through the dedicated telephone consultation hotline for school principals are provided by the psychiatric services under the HA’s hospital clusters (figures as at June 11, 2026).Issued at HKT 14:15
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Regarding the direct investigation operation report on the Government’s work on the management of countryside facilities released by the Office of The Ombudsman today (June 29), the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) responds as follows:
The AFCD is committed to enhancing the management standards of country parks, with a view to providing the public and tourists with safe, eco-friendly and educational recreation experiences. It provides and regularly upgrades various facilities such as trails, information boards, visitor centres and toilets. The AFCD also reviews the carrying capacity of popular countryside destinations to formulate appropriate management measures to ensure the safety of the facilities, enhance the convenience of public use and minimise the impact on the natural environment.
The AFCD accepts the Office’s recommendations and will make every effort to follow up and implement them. Some of the measures have already been initiated or completed during the investigation, including:
enhancing the procedures and monitoring of facility maintenance and inspection in country parks;
improving the system for monitoring the performance of cleaning contractors;
allocating additional resources, hiring contractors, and adopting new designs to expedite the maintenance of facilities (such as rain shelters);
updating the contents of the country park visitor questionnaire and the “Enjoy Hiking” website; and
providing GPX files for all trails on the website for offline use by the public and tourists.
The AFCD agrees with the Ombudsman’s recommendations on strengthening information dissemination and public education. It is currently developing several publicity channels, including establishing a YouTube account for Hong Kong Country Parks and applying to open an official Xiaohongshu account, to more effectively disseminate information on hiking safety and nature conservation to the public and tourists.
The AFCD will continue to work with relevant government departments to strengthen the management of ecotourism hotspots during weekends, public holidays and the Mainland Golden Week holidays as necessary. It will also actively explore co-operation with other organisations to deepen education and publicity on the protection of country parks and hiking safety awareness.
The AFCD will maintain to uphold the principles of “respecting the ecology and protecting the environment”, appropriately showcase Hong Kong’s precious ecological resources to the public, and enable the public and tourists to enjoy the pleasures of the countryside and support the sustainable development of ecotourism.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (June 27) will be cancelled.
If the thunderstorm warning is cancelled and weather conditions permit by then, the flag-raising ceremony may be resumed without further notice.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
An incoming Chinese female passenger was sentenced to four weeks’ imprisonment by the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (June 26) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).
Customs officers intercepted an incoming 42-year-old Chinese female passenger at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on May 28 and seized 2 600 duty-not-paid cigarettes from her personal baggage, with an estimated market value of about $10,600 and a duty potential of about $8,500. The female passenger was subsequently arrested.
Customs welcomes the sentence, noting that even a first-time offender may still be imprisoned. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Members of the public should not defy the law.
Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.
Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) was deeply saddened by the passing of a staff member of its contractor at a refurbishment works site at the Kowloon Bay Sports Ground today (June 26) and extended its deepest condolences to the deceased’s family. Following the incident, representatives of the ArchSD visited the works site to understand the situation and requested the contractor to provide appropriate assistance to the deceased’s family.
At about 9am today, a 65-year-old male worker was suspected to have been struck by and pulled underneath an operating road roller. He was certified dead at the scene.
The refurbishment works have been fully suspended with immediate effect. The ArchSD has instructed the contractor to carry out a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident. The ArchSD will also render full assistance to relevant departments in their investigations.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 3
The Central Allocation Stage of the Primary One Admission 2026 will commence soon. Parents whose children (including children who intend to commute daily to schools in Hong Kong) have not secured a discretionary place should make their choice of schools within the period from January 19 to 25.
In line with the Smart Government strategy, the Education Bureau (EDB) has fully implemented digitalisation of the POA. Parents who have registered as POA e-Platform (ePOA) users and have bound their account to “iAM Smart+” may submit the Choice of Schools Form for Central Allocation from January 19 to 25 through the ePOA. Please refer to the related videos and Parent’s Guide on the EDB’s website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/poa_eplatform/index.html) for details of the procedures for activating and logging into an ePOA account and for making school choices for the Central Allocation of POA via the e-Platform.
The EDB will send letters to parents on January 14 inviting them to make their choice of schools. To cater for the needs of different parents, parents can still submit the Choice of Schools Form in paper form by visiting the designated Central Allocation Centre at the suggested time slot (i.e. 9.30am to 12.30pm or 1.30pm to 4.30pm on January 24 (Saturday) or 9.30am to 12.30pm on January 25 (Sunday)) stated in the letter.
Parents who are ePOA users may choose to submit the Central Allocation Application via the ePOA or in paper form to the Central Allocation Centre but should not submit duplicate applications. Parents who have not yet received the letter by January 19 should call the School Places Allocation Section of the EDB (Hotline: 2832 7700) as soon as possible.
Only one parent of an applicant child is required to complete the school choice-making procedures. Parents are advised not to take their children to the Central Allocation Centre if possible. Parents who cannot make school choices within the suggested time slot can go to the designated Central Allocation Centre from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on January 25. The Choice of Schools Form will be sent together with the letter to parents who have submitted a paper Application Form at the Discretionary Places stage for filling in advance.
In the event of adverse weather or other special conditions on any day during the period of making school choices, please pay heed to radio or television announcements on the relevant special arrangements.
For individual parents who are unable to use the ePOA or go to the Central Allocation Centre to make school choices, they can authorise in writing a representative to bring the completed Choice of Schools Form and their signed Letter of Authorisation to the Central Allocation Centre to proceed with the related procedures.
To apply for POA 2026 for their children after January 25, parents need to complete necessary procedures with the School Places Allocation Section, which will separately arrange P1 places for the applicant children in June.
Parents who have recently moved their residence or have such plans in the near future are required to inform the School Places Allocation Section as soon as possible so that they can make school choices in the POA School Net where their new home is located. Parents should fill in the actual residential address of their child. If they provide a false address for securing a P1 place, the POA application of their child will be rendered void and the P1 place allocated will be withdrawn.
The EDB has put in place a monitoring mechanism to verify the residential addresses of applicant children as given by the parents. Random checks have also been stepped up. The public may call the School Places Allocation Section to report suspected cases of using a false address by parents for their children’s POA application. The EDB will take action against false address cases.
For information about the procedures for Central Allocation, please call the EDB’s 24-hour automatic telephone enquiry service at 2891 0088.
For parents who have already activated their ePOA account via “iAM Smart” or “iAM Smart+”, they will receive their Central Allocation results through the ePOA from 10am on June 3. Parents who wish to receive the allocation results via SMS on June 3 may choose such an option in the Choice of Schools Form. In addition, the allocation results will be sent to parents by post on June 3 and 4.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 3
During the rain and tropical cyclone season, Hong Kong may occasionally be affected by tropical cyclones and heavy persistent rain, the weather becomes unstable. Students and parents should pay attention to the change in weather.
Students and parents are therefore reminded that in the event of tropical cyclones and/or heavy persistent rain, the Education Bureau (EDB) will announce the class suspension arrangements for that day based on the latest weather information and the conditions of roads, slopes, and traffic. The announcements will be made through the following channels: When tropical cyclones and/or rainstorms affect Hong Kong, the following general schooling arrangements will apply:
Weather conditions
Corresponding measures
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 is issued
All schools, including kindergartens, are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is issued
Classes of kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to be suspended.
Other schools are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Pre-No. 8 / No. 8 or above is issued
Classes of all schools are to be suspended.
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above isreplaced by Signal No. 3
Classes of all kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to remain suspended.
Unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day, other schools are to resume if Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 3 has been issued before 5:30 a.m. (for AM and whole-day schools), 10:30 a.m. (for PM schools) or 5:00 p.m. (for evening schools).
When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is replaced by Signal No. 1 or when all tropical cyclone signals are cancelled
All schools are to resume with the next session unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day.
When Amber Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued
All schools, including kindergartens, are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.
When Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or “The combined effect of strong wind and prolonged rainstorm is affecting/expected to affect Hong Kong” information is issued by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO)
In general, if the relevant rainstorm warning signal or information is issued during the following periods, it means that student need not attend schools:
At or after 5:30 a.m. and before 8:00 a.m.: AM and Whole-day Schools
At or after 10:30 a.m. and before 1:00 p.m.: PM Schools
At or after 5:00 p.m. and before 7:00 p.m.: Evening Schools
If the relevant rainstorm warning signal or information is issued during school hours, schools should implement contingency measures to ensure the safety of students. Schools which are in session should continue lessons until the end of normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home. Parents do not need to pick up their children from school immediately.
As the situations in localised areas may differ from the territory as a whole, parents can exercise their discretion in deciding whether or not to send their children to school if the local weather, roads, slopes or traffic conditions are adverse. Schools will be flexible in handling the affected students who arrive late or are absent from school at parents’ discretion on the day, and such students will not be penalised.
Weather conditions can change rapidly, so it is important for students and parents to pay close attention to the latest weather conditions provided by the HKO and check if the EDB has announced class suspension before leaving for school and during their journey to ensure safety.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Kwun Tong Occupational Safety and Health Centre of the Labour Department (LD) will launch a wide range of occupational safety and health courses in the second half of 2026. The courses aim at enhancing the working population’s understanding of the occupational safety regulations and their awareness of occupational health.
The courses cover a wide range of topics, including:
Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance and Regulations
Gas Poisoning in Manholes
Confined Spaces Regulations
Major Safety Legislation Related to Working in Catering Trade
Dangerous Substances Regulations
Safety Management Regulation
Safety Regulations on Manual Handling Operations
Legislation Related to Safety in Hotel Industry
Safety Legislation on Working in Times of Inclement Weather and Hot Environment
Major Safety Legislation Related to Accident Prevention in Office and Storage Work
A Brief Introduction to the Regulation on Display Screen Equipment
A Brief Introduction to Noise at Work Regulation
More Exercise, Smart Work
Strategies for the Prevention of Occupational Diseases
Occupational Health in Catering Industry
Chemicals and Occupational Health
Medical Examinations for Workers Engaged in Hazardous Occupations in Industrial Undertakings
Manual Handling Operations and Prevention of Back Injuries
Occupational Health for Security Guards
Chemicals and Occupational Health in Hotel Industry
Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work in a Hot Environment
Occupational Health for Office Workers
Health Hints on the Use of Computer
Noise Hazards and Prevention of Hearing Loss
Prevention of Upper and Lower Limb Disorders
Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders for Office Workers
Occupational Health for Cleansing Workers
Occupational Contact Dermatitis
Manual Handling Operations and Prevention of Back Injuries for Workers of Residential Care Home
Occupational Health for Professional Drivers
Work and Common Gastrointestinal Diseases
Occupational Stress
Happy Workplace
Work and Healthy Lifestyle
Work and Diabetes Mellitus
First Aid in the Workplaces
Work and Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Easy Tips for Healthy Eating at Work
The courses will be conducted in Cantonese at the LD’s Occupational Safety and Health Centre, G/F, Kwun Tong Community Health Centre Building, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong. Enrolment is free.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (June 29) reported the latest number of Legionnaires’ disease (LD) cases, and reminded the public of the importance of using and maintaining properly designed man-made water systems, adding that susceptible groups should strictly observe relevant precautions.
From June 21 to 27, the CHP recorded five LD cases, including one nosocomial case (i.e. hospital-acquired) and four community-acquired cases. All of the patients, who were aged between 39 and 78, had underlying illnesses.
Nosocomial case
———————-
The case involved a 39-year-old male. He was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) on June 2 after suffering a fall and a head injury. He was subsequently diagnosed with a brain tumour and underwent surgery. On June 16, he developed a fever and his chest X-ray revealed that he had pneumonia. A respiratory specimen collected from the patient by the hospital on June 22 tested positive for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch under the CHP. The patient’s condition subsequently deteriorated, and he passed away on June 22.
Since the patient was hospitalised at PMH throughout the incubation period (from June 6 to 14), the CHP considered that this is a nosocomial case. The CHP, together with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, dispatched personnel to the hospital to conduct an environmental investigation in order to determine the source of the infection. A preliminary investigation revealed that, during his hospitalisation, the patient had been admitted to the Neurosurgery High Dependency Unit (HDU) and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The CHP collected 25 water samples and 15 environmental samples from the wards where the patient was admitted. The results of laboratory testing are pending.
The CHP has instructed PMH to thoroughly disinfect the water supply systems on the affected floors. PMH has suspended the use of the shower rooms in the wards concerned and installed bacterial filters in the water supply systems of the relevant wards. The CHP has also provided the hospital with health advice and medical surveillance recommendations, and will continue to closely monitor the implementation of these measures.
In addition, 53 patients who were admitted to the same HDU or ICU as the patient during the same period are under medical surveillance. No additional LD cases have been identified among them so far.
The CHP’s investigation and follow-up work are ongoing.
Community-acquired cases
———————————–
Details of the four community-acquired cases are as follow:
a 57-year-old male living in Wong Tai Sin District;
a 74-year-old female living in Southern District;
a 76-year-old female living in Yuen Long District; and
a 78-year-old male living in Southern District.
The CHP is conducting epidemiological investigations to identify the potential sources of infection and high-risk exposure. An initial investigation revealed that the four community-acquired cases are sporadic cases. No epidemiological linkages have been established between these cases and other confirmed cases previously recorded in Hong Kong.
As of June 27, 82 LD cases had been recorded this year. In 2025 and 2024, there were 167 and 135 LD cases respectively.
Men, people aged over 50, smokers, alcoholics and persons with weakened immunity are more susceptible to LD. Some situations may also increase the risk of infection, including poor maintenance of water systems; living in areas with old water systems, cooling towers or fountains; using electric water heaters, whirlpool spas or hot water spring spas; and recent stays in hotels or ships.
Legionellae are found in various environmental settings and grow well in warm water (20 to 45 degrees Celsius). They can be found in aqueous environments such as water tanks, hot and cold water systems, cooling towers, whirlpool spas, water fountains, humidifiers and home respiratory devices that support breathing. People may become infected when they breathe in contaminated droplets (aerosols) and mist generated by artificial water systems, or when handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes.
Immunocompromised persons should:
Use sterile or boiled water for drinking, tooth brushing and mouth rinsing;
Avoid using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices; and
If using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices, fill the water tank with only sterile or cooled freshly boiled water, and not water directly from the tap. Also, clean and maintain humidifiers/devices regularly according to manufacturers’ instructions. Never leave stagnant water in a humidifier/device. Empty the water tank, wipe all surfaces dry, and change the water daily.
The public should observe the health advice below:
Observe personal hygiene;
Do not smoke and avoid alcohol consumption;
Strainers in water taps and shower heads should be inspected, cleaned, descaled and disinfected regularly or at a frequency recommended by the manufacturer;
If a fresh-water plumbing system is properly maintained, it is not necessary to install domestic water filters. Use of water filters is not encouraged as clogging occurs easily, which can promote growth of micro-organisms. In case water filters are used, the pore size should be 0.2 micrometres (µm) or less and the filter needs to be changed periodically according to the manufacturer’s recommendations;
Drain and clean water tanks of buildings at least quarterly;
Drain or purge for at least one minute infrequently used water outlets (e.g. water taps, shower heads and hot water outlets) and stagnant points of the pipework weekly or before use;
Seek and follow doctors’ professional advice regarding the use and maintenance of home respiratory devices and use only sterile water (not distilled or tap water) to clean and fill the reservoir. Clean and maintain the device regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After cleaning/disinfection, rinse the device with sterile water, cooled freshly boiled water or water filtered with 0.2 µm filters. Never leave stagnant water in the device. Empty the water tank, keep all surfaces dry, and change the water daily; and
When handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes:
Wear gloves and a face mask;
Water gardens and compost gently using low pressure;
Open composted potting mixes slowly and make sure the opening is directed away from the face;
Wet the soil to reduce dust when potting plants; and
Avoid working in poorly ventilated places such as enclosed greenhouses.
Additionally, as smokers and alcoholics are more susceptible to LD, the Government urges members of the public to quit smoking and avoid drinking. Members of the public may call the DH Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline at 1833 183, which is answered by registered nurses who provide professional counselling and referral to a wide range of free smoking cessation services. The public may also visit the smoking cessation thematic website (www.livetobaccofree.hk) for more information on smoking cessation. The DH has also developed and promulgated the Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention tool to primary healthcare service providers to facilitate the early identification and management of at-risk drinkers. For information on alcohol-related harm, please visit the DH’s Change for Health website.