Issued by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Information Services
Garden Road, 5th-8th Floors, Murray Building, Hong Kong. Tel: 2842 8777
Monday, March 16, 1998
CONTENTS
========
1. Update on cholera
2. Enhanced measures to contain spread of cholera
3. Unemployment and underemployment statistics
4. 218 nominations received for subsector elections
5. Air quality report for February released
6. Hong Kong Monetary Authority tender results
7. Water storage figure
8. Water cut on Ap Lei Chau
1. Update on cholera
*****************
The Department of Health today (Monday) announced 25
new confirmed cases and eight new suspected cases, all of
which are imported.
The 25 new confirmed cases are related to the three
tour groups to Thailand known to be involved in the recent
cholera outbreak.
The eight new suspected cases are also related to the
three tour groups. The number of local suspected cases
remains at two, the same as yesterday.
As of today, the total number of confirmed cholera
cases so far this year is 43, including 30 imported cases
and 13 local cases. The total number of suspected cases
is 10 with eight imported and two local cases.
End
2. Enhanced measures to contain spread of cholera
**********************************************
The Inter-departmental Co-ordinating Committee on the
Prevention and Control of Cholera met today (Monday) and
agreed on a package of enhanced measures to effectively
control the spread of cholera in Hong Kong.
A spokesman for the Committee said members noted the
current spate of cholera cases and were determined to do
their utmost to prevent the spread of cholera with
immediate enforcement action and the introduction of short
term and longer-term measures.
"However, these enhanced actions could not yield the
desired effect without the support and co-operation of the
community," the spokesman said.
"Members of the public and travellers are strongly
urged to observe and practise good personal, environmental
and food hygiene at all times to prevent contracting
gastro-intestinal infections."
The spokesman said the meeting reviewed the current
cholera situation and three distinct sources of the
cholera cases, including inadequately cooked cockles, one
restaurant and three groups of travellers, had been
identified by the Department of Health as related to the
majority of the 18 confirmed cases and 23 suspected cases.
Actions have been and are being taken to prevent the
spread of the diseases from these sources.
He said these included blitz inspections conducted by
the Urban Services Department and the Regional Services
Department to all restaurants selling sushi and sashimi to
check on good hygiene and fish task water quality.
Together with the Housing Department, they had also
conducted blitz raids on unlicensed food premises.
"The blitz inspections by RSD have already been
completed while similar operations by USD will be
completed before the end of this week," the spokesman
said.
An important measure which the Committee had agreed
to implement with immediate effect is to tighten up the
import control of seafood by holding and testing all
bivalve shellfish, including cockles, clams, oysters and
mussels, imported into Hong Kong.
"This means that bivalve imports from now on will be
subject to sampling and testing to ensure that they are
fit for human consumption before they can be released for
sale at retail level," the spokesman said.
"The requirement of health certification for all
imported seafood will be strictly enforced. In addition,
surveillance and sampling of seafood at retail level will
also be strengthened."
The spokesman pointed out that as an integral part of
the enhanced package were efforts to increase public
health education and publicity.
"Apart from considering a new approach in producing
radio and television announcements of public interests
(APIs) to promote the health awareness in the community,
the Committee has decided to produce a new video to advise
travellers of the health precautions to be taken during
their trips abroad," he said.
"It is expected that the video would be ready in time
for the Easter holidays."
The meeting also noted that the Department of Health
had been mounting poster displays, message broadcasts and
handing out pamphlets at the airport, railway stations and
ferry piers and these had been stepped up to enhance
publicity.
"In addition to the assistance given by the Hong Kong
Tourist Association and the Travel Industry Council of
Hong Kong in alerting all travel agencies, staff of the
Department of Health's Port Health Service have, since
yesterday, been giving health advice to all in-coming
flights from Thailand to enhance travellers' awareness and
to request them to come forward in case they develop any
symptoms of infectious disease," the spokesman said.
In the longer-term, the Committee agreed to set up a
working group to look into the issue of water used in
keeping seafood in restaurants.
Members of the working group will comprise
representatives from the Urban Services Department, the
Regional Services Department, the Agriculture and
Fisheries Department, the Environmental Protection
Department, and the Department of Health.
"The Committee does not support the drawing of
seawater from the harbour and typhoon shelters for keeping
fish in restaurants. The working group is tasked to
consider all ways and means with a view to making
recommendation on ways of providing wholesome seawater for
this purpose," the spokesman added.
Concluding the meeting, the Committee concurred with
the World Health Organisation's advice that travel
restriction is not an effective way to prevent the spread
of cholera. The best way to prevent cholera is to observe
good personal and food hygiene, and be careful with the
food people eat.
The Inter-departmental Co-ordinating Committee on the
Prevention and Control of Cholera is chaired by the Deputy
Director of Health. Members comprise representatives from
Health and Welfare Bureau, Urban Services Department,
Regional Services Department, Housing Department,
Information Services Department, Agriculture and Fisheries
Department, Environmental Protection Department and the
Marine Department.
End
3. Unemployment and underemployment statistics
*******************************************
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the
period November 1997 - January 1998 was 2.5%, and the
underemployment rate was 1.5%, according to the latest
labour force statistics released today (Monday) by the
Census and Statistics Department.
For the period December 1997 - February 1998, the
provisional seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was
2.9%, while the provisional underemployment rate was 1.6%.
Commenting on these latest figures, a Government
Secretariat spokesman said that a distinct rise in
unemployment was observed after the Chinese New Year
Holidays. While it was customary for employers in the
various sectors to adjust their workforce at this time of
the year, the adjustment in this round was intensified by
the repercussions of the regional financial turmoil and
the consequential setback in the local economy.
The spokesman noted that the adjustment fell mainly
on the unemployment rate, but much less so on the
underemployment rate. This suggested that some employers
had moved to down-size their workforce, in addition to
spreading the work amongst the existing employees, in the
light of uncertain business conditions. There were
indications that many of the recent lay-offs involved
temporary employees.
The spokesman stressed that the Government stood
ready to assist the unemployed to re-enter the workforce
as soon as possible.
"The Labour Department is strengthening its job
matching and employment service for job-seekers. The
Department's Local Employment Service (LES), which has an
overall successful job placement rate of 22%, currently
has some 14,000 vacancies. In the case of the Job
Matching Programme which is designed to help the
unemployed with special difficulties, the success rate is
as high as 70%," the spokesman said.
"All the eleven employment centres of the Labour
Department will be fully computerised next month and this
will further enhance the efficiency of the LES," he added.
The spokesman pointed out that for those who wished
to re-enter the labour market through full-time or part-
time retraining and reskilling, the Employees Retraining
Board (ERB) provided a wide range of opportunities. The
successful placement rate of ERB full-time trainees stands
at about 70%.
The spokesman further noted that although job
creation in the private sector had slackened along with
the current setback in the economy, the Government's
substantial expenditure programme particularly on public
housing and new infrastructure will continue to provide
ample job opportunities. Moreover, the extensive tax
concessions accorded in the latest Budget should in due
course reinforce local spending which in turn should help
improve the retail market and ease the unemployment
problem.
Comparing the latest three months period December
1997 - February 1998 with the period November 1997 -
January 1998, the increase in unemployment rate was found
mostly in construction (including both new construction
projects and decoration and maintenance), retail trade,
restaurants/hotels, real estate and manufacturing. The
unemployment situation in the other major sectors were
relatively more stable. As to the underemployment rate,
the increase was concentrated in decoration and
maintenance, retail trade and transport. The
underemployment situation in the other major sectors were
relatively more stable.
In the three months ending January 98, total labour
supply was 3,313,600, of which 3,240,300 were employed and
73,300 were unemployed. In the same period, the number of
underemployed persons stood at 49,200.
The unemployment and underemployment statistics were
obtained from a continuous General Household Survey. The
survey for November 1997 - January 1998 covered a
quarterly sample of some 23,800 households or 78,800
persons, selected scientifically to represent the land-
based civilian non-institutional population in Hong Kong.
Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from
the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 and over in
the households sampled.
In the survey, the definitions used in measuring
unemployment and underemployment follow closely those
recommended by the International Labour Organisation.
Being 'seasonally adjusted' refers to the fact that
unemployment rate has been adjusted for seasonal
variations in the proportion of first-time job-seekers in
the labour force.
Detailed analysis of labour force characteristics is
given in the report on the General Household Survey which
is published four times a year.
The next report covering the quarter ending December
1997 will be on sale at the Government Publications Centre
at ground floor, Low Block, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong, by
the end of March 1998.
End
4. 218 nominations received for subsector elections
************************************************
A total of 118 nominations for the Election Committee
subsector elections have been received today (Monday).
This brings to 218 the total number of nominations
received since the eight-day nomination period started on
Friday (March 13).
The breakdown of nominations by subsector is:
Subsector Number of nominations Cumulated total
--------- received today ---------------
---------------------
Catering 9 10
Commercial(second) 3 4
Hong Kong Chinese 3 3
Enterprises Association
Import and export 3 4
Industrial(first) 1 1
Industrial(second) 3 3
Insurance 2
Real estate and 1
construction
Transport 9 9
Wholesale and retail 1
Accountancy 3 7
Chinese medicine 2 6
Education 2 11
Engineering 9 26
Higher education 5 11
Information technology 1 17
Legal 1
Medical 8 11
Agriculture and fisheries 16 21
Labour 16 21
Religious 7
Sports 10 10
Culture 8 9
Publication 1
Chinese People's Political 6 13
Consultative Conference
Provisional District 1 6
Boards for the Districts
in the Urban Council Area
("Hong Kong and Kowloon
Provisional District Boards")
Provisional District 2
Boards for the Districts
in the Regional Council Area
("New Territories Provisional
District Boards")
End
5. Air quality report for February released
****************************************
The Environmental Protection Department today
(Monday) released air quality information for February
1998.
The report showed that all measurements recorded in
the month had complied with the air quality objective
(AQO) values.
The preceding 12-month averages of respirable
suspended particulates recorded at the three stations
ranged from 51 ug/m3 to 74 ug/m3. The annual AQO is 55
ug/m3.
For nitrogen dioxide, the 12-month averages ranged
from 49 ug/m3 to 85 ug/m3. The annual AQO is 80 ug/m3.
The report includes the monitoring results from Mong
Kok, Central/Western and Kwai Chung, which represent three
important land use types in the territory:
* locations close to road traffic in built-up urban areas,
* combined commercial and residential districts, and
* districts close to industrial areas.
Air pollutants reported included sulphur dioxide,
nitrogen dioxide, total suspended particulates, and the
respirable suspended particulates. All these pollutants
can affect respiratory health in sufficient concentration.
Air pollution originated from various sources,
including combustion, industrial and construction
processes. In terms of impact on local air quality, motor
vehicle exhaust is the most important source of nitrogen
dioxide and airborne particulate matter, especially the
smaller respirable particles.
End
6. Hong Kong Monetary Authority tender results
*******************************************
Tender date : 16 March 1998
Paper on offer : EF Notes
Issue number : 5303
Issue date : 17 March 1998
Maturity date : 17 March 2003
Coupon : 8.02%
Amount applied : HK$1,370 MN
Amount allotted : HK$500 MN
Average price accepted (yield) : 100.75 (7.99 PCT)
Lowest price accepted (yield) : 100.41 (8.08 PCT)
Pro rata ratio : About 100 PCT
Average tender price (yield) : 100.38 (8.08 PCT)
End
7. Water storage figure
********************
Storage in Hong Kong's reservoirs at 9 am today
(Monday) stood at 82.2 per cent of capacity or 481.741
million cubic metres.
This time last year the reservoirs contained 459.388
million cubic metres of water, representing 78.4 per cent
of capacity.
End
8. Water cut on Ap Lei Chau
************************
Owing to temporary suspension of electricity supply
to Ap Lei Chau Pumping Station, flushing water supply to
some premises in Ap Lei Chau will be suspended from 11 pm
on Thursday (March 19) to 8 am the following day.
The suspension will affect all premises at Ap Lei
Chau Bridge Road, Ap Lei Chau Main Street, Ap Lei Chau
Drive, Ap Lei Chau Praya Road, Lee Chi Road, Lee Nam Road,
Lee Man Road, Lee Wing Street, Lee Hing Street, Lee King
Street, Lee Lok Street, Hung Shing Street, Ping Lan
Street, Shan Ming Street, Shui Sau Street, San Shi Street,
Ho King Street, Wai Fung Street, Ap Lei Chau Estate, Yue
On Court and Lei Tung Estate.
End
