**********************************************************
Starting tomorrow (May 12), the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) will revert to normal air sampling and radiological analysis on a weekly basis, while the Health Desk service at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) for passengers arriving from Japan will be suspended, a Government spokesman announced today (May 11).
The HKO will continue to release radiation monitoring data on its website, the spokesman said. These include hourly data from the Observatory's network of 10 radiation monitoring stations that measure environmental gamma radiation in real-time, as well as results of radiological analysis of other samples, including sea water, land soil and rain.
The HKO will closely monitor the situation in Fukushima, as well as radiation levels in other places, to determine if intensive monitoring will need to be resumed, the spokesman emphasised.
Since the Fukushima incident in March this year, the HKO has stepped up its radiation monitoring, the spokesman said. Specifically, the frequency of collection and analysis of air samples at King's Park and Yuen Ng Fan was increased from once a week to once every day. Additional samples of sea water, land soil and rain were also collected for analysis.
From late March to mid April, the artificial radionuclides iodine-131 and caesium-137 were found in the air samples in very minute amounts that posed no health threat to the public. In the past four weeks since April 14, no artificial radionuclides have been detected in the air samples at Yuen Ng Fan and King's Park.
In view of the situation, the HKO will revert to normal air sampling and radiological analysis from tomorrow. Daily air sampling at Yuen Ng Fan will revert to weekly monitoring, while daily sampling at King's Park will continue. If no further artificial radionuclides are detected in two weeks' time, sampling at King's Park will also revert to the normal weekly sampling.
As for the HKIA Health Desk for passengers arriving from Japan, the spokesman said that taking into consideration the significant drop in usage of the Health Desk service and the fact there has been no case of radiological contamination since its operation commenced on March 16, the Health Desk service will be suspended from 0000 hours on May 12.
Should travellers from Japan have any concerns about possible radiological exposure, they are advised to seek assistance at the Accident and Emergency Department of public hospitals, the spokesman added.
Ends/Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:17
NNNN
