The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Cheung Hong Estate in Tsing Yi today (March 4) to inspect Hong Mei House, where confirmed cases of COVID-19 involving residents of units on different floors were reported earlier. She also met with personnel of the Housing Department (HD), the Home Affairs Department (HAD) and the Police to thank them for their tireless efforts in doing follow-up work to safeguard public health.

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, Mrs Lam met with personnel of the HD, the HAD and the Police at Hong Mei House to learn about their experience in the operation to evacuate the relevant residents, providing assistance to the Department of Health (DH) in investigating the source of infection and enforcement of a series of infection control measures last month.

     After noting that there were confirmed cases in the same units on different floors of Hong Mei House in the evening on February 10, the Government immediately conducted a site visit with experts, investigated the health of about 100 residents in the units and activated a multi-disciplinary response team to formulate and execute necessary infection control measures. According to the advice of the experts, as a precautionary measure, members of the HAD immediately arranged for residents of the relevant units to be transferred to quarantine centres temporarily in the evening; the technical team of the HD and personnel of the DH investigated the drainage system in each of the units in the following days and took immediate action for rectification works; personnel of the HD and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) carried out thorough cleaning and disinfection at the building; and the DH arranged virus tests for residents in the quarantine centres and all samples tested negative. With the close collaboration of the relevant departments, all residents in the quarantine centres could go back home on February 15.

     Mrs Lam also went to the ground floor lobby of Hong Mei House to chat with security workers and cleaning workers who participated in the operation. Mrs Lam expressed her gratitude to them for their committed services provided during this critical period, adding that the Anti-epidemic Fund of the Government will support the efforts of government and Hong Kong Housing Authority service contractors to fight the disease, including providing each cleaning worker, toilet attendant and security worker engaged under relevant contracts with a monthly allowance of $1,000 for no fewer than four months to strengthen their capacity for personal and environmental hygiene. Mrs Lam then viewed the units with confirmed cases and their drainage system from outside the building.

     "Since the outbreak of infection months ago, the Government has been closely monitoring the development of the situation and has responded comprehensively with decisive and appropriate measures. The cases of infection in Hong Mei House were among the unforeseen incidents that the Government faced in the process. I would like to thank colleagues of the HD, the HAD, the FEHD, the Police and many other government departments for joining hands to enforce the relevant measures swiftly to safeguard public health and provide appropriate support to the people affected. Although the situation of infection in the community is still severe, given the commitment and concerted efforts of all the incumbent and retired colleagues of various government departments that I have witnessed, I am confident that Hong Kong can win the battle against the disease," Mrs Lam said.

Ends/Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Issued at HKT 20:42

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