Category: MIL-OSI

CHP reminds schools and parents to take measures to prevent communicable diseases in new school year      
     “Schools are places where children gather to learn and play. Some young children have yet to fully master proper personal hygiene practices, making it easier for communicable diseases to spread through close contact on school campuses. As students return to school, the CHP has sent a letter through the Education Bureau to all schools in Hong Kong, reminding school management to take appropriate measures to reduce the risk of transmission of communicable diseases in schools. I would like to remind the public that Hong Kong is still in the midst of the influenza season. I hope that all schools and parents will actively participate in the 2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Programme (SIVSOP) and use the Electronic Consent Form via eHealth newly launched this year to complete the consent process early. This will allow schools to plan and arrange seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) activities earlier. If schools————————————-
 
     Hong Kong entered the influenza season in late June. So far, 11 cases of severe paediatric influenza infection have been recorded. Eight patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital, two patients remain in critical condition and there was one fatal case. The CHP’s latest surveillance data shows that influenza activity level remains high. Due to widespread influenza transmission in the community in recent months, the number of infections has increased significantly, leading to a corresponding rise in severe cases. The CHP expects that influenza will remain active at the beginning of the new school year, and that influenza outbreaks may occur in schools. Therefore, schools and parents must remain vigilant and take preventive measures.
      
     COVID-19 activity level has also been on an upward trend since June, and began to decrease after reaching a peak in early August. The CHP has recorded two severe paediatric cases of COVID-19 infection since June. Neither child had received COVID-19 vaccination. Regarding other respiratory pathogens, the activity level of respiratory syncytial virus has shown a slight upward trend recently, though it remains below the peak levels recorded in recent years.
      
     Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent seasonal influenza, COVID-19 and their complications. It also reduces the risk of hospitalisation and death. In addition, members of the public should maintain good personal, hand and environmental hygiene to prevent respiratory infections. Students and school staff with respiratory symptoms, even if the symptoms are mild, should wear a surgical mask, refrain from going to work or attending classes, avoid crowded places and seek medical advice promptly. They should also maintain hand hygiene before putting on and after removing a mask. High-risk individuals should wear surgical masks when visiting public places. The general public should also wear surgical masks when taking public transport or staying in crowded places.
 
Mosquito-borne diseases
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     Although mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever (DF) and chikungunya fever (CF), are not transmitted from person to person, schools should take measures to strengthen efforts to eliminate stagnant water and prevent mosquito breeding, such as changing water for plants at least once a week, covering all water containers tightly and keeping all drains free from blockage. School management is advised to appoint designated staff to be responsible for mosquito prevention and control on campus. Details are available from the guidelines published by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department      
     As of August 27, Hong Kong has recorded a total of 28 DF cases (comprising 26 imported cases and two local cases) as well as two imported CF cases this year.
 
Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD)
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     HFMD is a common disease in children usually caused by enteroviruses, such as coxsackie viruses and enterovirus 71. In Hong Kong, the peak season for HFMD is usually from May to July, with a smaller peak occurring from October to December after the start of the school year. In June and July this year, surveillance data showed that HFMD activity level had increased and remained high. Since mid-August, it has declined to a lower level. When classes resume, close contact among young children in schools and institutions will make the disease easier to spread, and sporadic outbreaks may occur.      
     The CHP reminded schools to implement prevention and control measures, and handle outbreak cases in accordance with the Guidelines on Prevention of Communicable DiseasesIssued at HKT 15:00

Deadline for Wang Fuk Court owners to accept Government’s acquisition plan expires tomorrow     c/o Wang Fuk Court Property Rights Acquisition Limited 
     1/F, Block 2, Hong Kong Housing Authority Headquarters,
     33 Fat Kwong Street, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong KongIssued at HKT 16:00

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Temporary suspension of LCSD’s Mobile Library 1, 5 and 10 services 
     Mobile Library 5 will suspend services from September 14 to 19. The affected service points are Hin Keng Estate, Kam Tai Court, Mei Tin Estate, Yan On Estate in Sha Tin; Yee Ming Estate and Mang Kung Uk Road in Sai Kung; and Fu Shin Estate and Fu Heng Estate in Tai Po. For enquiries about Mobile Library 5 services, please call 2696 5842.
 
     Readers are welcome to use other public libraries during the service suspension periods. They may also renew library materials by telephoning 2698 0002 or 2827 2833, or via www.hkpl.gov.hkIssued at HKT 12:00

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes to commence on September 17 – Get vaccinated early to build immunity barrier to protect yourself and your family 
Influenza activity in Hong Kong remains at a relatively high level
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     “Hong Kong entered the influenza season in late June and influenza activity continued to rise from July through mid-August. According to the latest surveillance data, influenza activity remains high. Owing to influenza transmission in the community in recent months and the substantial rise in infections, the number of severe cases has increased accordingly. We anticipate that influenza activity will remain at a high level during the initial period of the new school year, with possible influenza outbreaks in schools. Therefore, schools and parents must remain vigilant and take preventive measures. So far the severe cases in this influenza season primarily affect the elderly and children. A total of 11 severe paediatric cases have been recorded. Among these cases, six patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital, one patient is in stable condition, one is in serious condition, two are in critical condition and one has passed away. The overall situation in the current influenza season is comparable to that of previous influenza seasons, and we must keep vigilant,” said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.
 
     “The influenza viruses currently circulating in Hong Kong are mainly influenza A (H1), followed by influenza A (H3). The Public Health Laboratory Services Branch under the CHP has conducted viral genetic analyses of influenza cases and confirmed that the predominant influenza virus strains are similar to those circulating in other regions of the world, with no evidence of causing a more severe illness or resistance to antiviral drugs so far. The four types of vaccines 
Data from last season confirmed a significantly higher risk of severe illness or death among unvaccinated persons
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     Over 2.03 million doses of vaccines were administered under the various SIV Programmes in the previous year (2025/26), with overall coverage rates of the target population remaining similar to those of the preceding year. Among children and adolescents, the SIV rate for persons aged six months to under 18 years currently reached 64.8 per cent, which is 13 percentage points higher than the average for the same period over the past three seasons (51.7 per cent). The vaccination rate for adolescents aged 12 to under 18 years reached 61.4 per cent, representing a substantial increase of 22.6 percentage points compared with the average for the same period over the past three seasons (38.8 per cent). Under the SIVSOP, more than 2 300 schools (representing 99 per cent of all schools) completed SIV outreach activities by the end of December 2025, up from 91 per cent in the preceding year. The number of doses of nasal spray vaccines (live attenuated influenza vaccine) administered also rose significantly, from 27 000 doses in 2024/25 to more than 48 000 doses in 2025/26, representing a nearly 80 per cent increase.
 
     “The CHP conducted an in-depth analysis of the relationship between influenza-related serious cases and SIV during the influenza season from September to December last year. The data shows that the rate of severe complications or death after contracting seasonal influenza was about five times higher among unvaccinated children than among vaccinated children. Similarly, the rate of severe complications among residents aged 65 years or older living in residential care homes for elderly who did not receive the SIV last year was approximately four times higher than among vaccinated residents. SIV is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to prevent serious cases of seasonal influenza and its complications. It can also reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death after infection,” Dr Tsui said. 
 
Continuous improvement to facilitate vaccination
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     The Government has introduced a number of enhancement measures last year to promote SIV, which were generally well-received by the public and the healthcare sector. This year, the Government continues to optimise SIV services in order to further facilitate members of the public in receiving SIV:
      Starting from last year, eligible individuals aged 18 or above must register for eHealth to join the SIV Programmes or receive subsidised SIV. Members of public can make use of the eHealth mobile app to review their vaccination and personal health records for health self-management, and to facilitate continuity of care services by healthcare professionals. Members of the public who have yet to register for an eHealth account should do so as soon as possible.
      A stable vaccine supply is an important foundation for the successful implementation of the SIV Programmes. This year, through an enhanced procurement process, the Government has introduced different suppliers to provide seasonal influenza vaccines from different technology platforms. These comprise two inactivated influenza vaccines, one nasal spray vaccine and one recombinant influenza vaccine, so as to meet the vaccination needs of different age and risk groups. This diversified, non-single-supplier procurement approach helps mitigate supply-chain risks, ensure the reliability and sustainability of vaccine sources, and provide greater flexibility in vaccine use, with a view to encouraging uptake.
      The Government has introduced a new Electronic Consent Form (e-consent form) feature this year. Members of the public already registered for eHealth accounts can submit their e-consent forms via the eHealth mobile app starting from September 17, and get vaccinated afterwards at a private clinic joining the VSS, enabling a paperless experience.
 
     Regarding the SIVSOP, the DH has held several online briefings for participating schools and medical professionals since early June to explain the details of the e-consent forms. Parents already registered with eHealth accounts can submit the e-consent forms for their children via the eHealth mobile app starting from August 17, well before the start of the school year. This new measure not only facilitates the public to join the SIV Programmes but also streamlines the administrative procedures for healthcare service providers and schools.
      With the experience gained from the Pilot Scheme in 2025/26, the Government continues to implement the Pilot Scheme in 2026/27 to further enhance the stability of the vaccine supply in the private market. Strengthened measures to be launched this year include:
      The DH is actively collaborating with the District Councils and the District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams) to encourage the organisation of vaccination activities in the community. As of August 30, the District Councils and the Care Teams have planned over 100 outreach vaccination activities over the next two months. Furthermore, the CHP has also strengthened interdepartmental collaborations, including partnerships with the Social Welfare Department and the Hong Kong Housing Society to promote SIV outreach activities at district elderly community centres, neighbourhood elderly centres and elderly housing projects, with an aim of expanding the protection barrier in society.
 
Vaccination venues located territory-wide
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     To facilitate members of the public in receiving vaccinations, the Government will continue to open all 29 Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) under the DH for all children aged six months to under two years. The number of vaccination venues provided by the District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses and their service points under the Primary Healthcare Commission has increased from 25 to 45. In addition, 76 Family Medicine Clinics and 38 public hospitals under the Hospital Authority will also provide vaccination services. For the list of vaccination venues, please refer to the CHP’s Vaccination Schemes page. Starting from 9am on September 14, parents/guardians of eligible children may book a vaccination appointment for their children at designated MCHCs via the online booking system.
 
     Furthermore, over 1 200 private doctors have participated in the VSS currently, providing services at over 1 900 service points across all districts in Hong Kong. For the list of VSS doctors, please visit apps.hcv.gov.hk/public/en/SPS/Search 
     Dr Tsui reminded public that all people aged six months or above, except those with known contraindications, should receive SIV every year for personal protection. Those who have contracted influenza in the past few months should also get vaccinated. Hong Kong typically experiences an influenza season during the first quarter of every year. SIV provides a certain degree of cross-protection against different but related virus strains. It takes two weeks for the body to develop sufficient antibodies after receiving SIV. Therefore, members of the public should get vaccinated as early as possible. Eligible groups and public venues offering free SIVs are listed in the annex.
 
     For more information on the SIV Programmes, please visit the Vaccination Schemes pageIssued at HKT 12:28

HA commences seasonal influenza vaccination programme      ​The list of public hospitals and outpatient clinics providing vaccinations is set out in Annex 2.

     Eligible patients may receive vaccinations at their scheduled follow-up appointments at clinics. Patients with distant follow-up appointment dates may visit or contact the respective clinics for necessary arrangements. Individuals aged 18 or above should register with eHealth before receiving vaccinations.Issued at HKT 14:45

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Residential Mortgage Survey Results for July 2026      
     The number of mortgage applications in July decreased month-on-month by 24 per cent to 9 212.
      
     Mortgage loans approved in July decreased by 11.4 per cent compared with June to HK$44.8 billion. Among these, mortgage loans financing primary market transactions decreased by 14.1 per cent to HK$13.3 billion and those financing secondary market transactions decreased by 16.4 per cent to HK$24.2 billion. Mortgage loans for refinancing increased by 18.4 per cent to HK$7.3 billion. 
      
     Mortgage loans drawn down during July increased by 6 per cent compared with June to HK$29.4 billion. 
      
     The ratio of new mortgage loans priced with reference to HIBOR decreased from 70 per cent in June to 61 per cent in July. The ratio of new mortgage loans priced with reference to best lending rates remained unchanged at 1.3 per cent in July.
      
     The outstanding value of mortgage loans increased month-on-month by 0.4 per cent to HK$1,963.5 billion at end-July. 
      
     The mortgage delinquency ratio stood at a low level of 0.11 per cent and the rescheduled loan ratio was unchanged at nearly 0 per cent.
Issued at HKT 16:30

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