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RTHK
6 days ago
- Health
- RTHK
HK likely to see imported Chikungunya cases: experts
HK likely to see imported Chikungunya cases: experts Yuen Kwok-yung says he expects there will be imported Chikungunya cases in Hong Kong. Photo Courtesy of Commercial Radio. Hong Kong might see imported cases of Chikungunya fever, infectious disease experts warned on Thursday. The World Health Organisation has called for urgent action to prevent the mosquito-borne disease, with more than 220,000 infections recorded this year around the world. There have been at least 3,000 in Foshan in Guangdong, mostly in the Shunde district, while Macau has recorded two imported cases. Dr Joseph Tsang told an RTHK radio show that Chikungunya fever can lead to serious joint pain that can last for years. However, he said compared to dengue fever – another mosquito-borne viral disease – Chikungunya is less deadly and less likely to trigger complications. "Because dengue fever can lower the platelet count, as such, it is more likely to cause bleeding. Therefore, there is a higher chance that it will lead to complications, shock, or develop into a serious case," he said. "As for Chikungunya fever, it will less likely trigger encephalitis or myocarditis. So the fatality rate and the chance of serious cases in dengue fever seems to be higher." The doctor said given the number of infections in Shunde and frequent cross-border travel, it is "inevitable" that Hong Kong will see some imported cases. He added that theoretically, Hong Kong might also see an outbreak of its own. Microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung also said he expects to see imported cases in Hong Kong. "If people return from an epidemic area and have fever, they should see a doctor immediately to check for Chikungunya fever. Because genetic tests can check for the virus in the blood," he told reporters after a Commercial Radio show. "If there is [an infection], mosquito control work can be carried out near the patient's home, and the patient also needs to put on repellent – DEET. These [measures] can break the chain of infection, so there won't be an outbreak in Hong Kong." Yuen added that it is crucial for the SAR to take action to control mosquito numbers.
HKFP
14-07-2025
- Climate
- HKFP
Ex-Hong Kong Observatory director defends class cancellations 18 hours ahead amid rainstorm forecast
A former director of the Hong Kong Observatory has defended the government's decision last week to cancel classes pre-emptively, saying that the move reflected 'respect for people's lives.' In an interview with Commercial Radio on Monday, Lam Chiu-ying commented on the Education Bureau's announcement on Thursday – when the red rainstorm warning was issued – to suspend all classes the following day. The announcement was made just before noon on Thursday, around 18 hours before a school day would begin on Friday. However, the Observatory recorded almost no rain on Friday, sparking criticism that the government had jumped the gun. Lam, who was the Observatory's director from 2003 to 2009, said he observed that the current government administration has been putting more work into disaster prevention compared to previous administrations. He said there had also been significant progress in coordination across government departments compared to his time as the Observatory's head. 'I think the decision showed respect for people's lives. This really is about how you weigh the importance of safety and other stuff,' Lam added in Cantonese. Asked how he felt when it turned out to be good weather on Friday, Lam said this reflected that 'things were unpredictable' and that 'humans cannot conquer nature.' 'Better safe than sorry' Hong Kong saw the red rainstorm warning issued three times within the span of 24 hours from late Wednesday to Thursday amid the impact of Storm Danas. Danas had lashed China prior to that, with torrential monsoon rain causing deadly landslides and flash floods. At noon on Friday, Chief Secretary Eric Chan – who heads the government's committee on handling extreme weather – stood by the decision to suspend classes 18 hours ahead of time. In a lengthy Facebook post, he said the Observatory's analysis predicted a daily rainfall exceeding 390 millimetres on Thursday and Friday. The figure would be the fifth-highest daily rainfall on record in Hong Kong, or about one-sixth of the city's total rainfall in one year. He acknowledged the difficulty of forecasting rainfall compared to storms and that there was a risk of inaccuracy when making early warnings. But the government's responsibility was to protect lives, he said, adding that disruption to the public would be minimal because many schools were already starting summer holidays. 'So we decided to make an early warning… we believe it is better to be safe than sorry,' Chan said, adding that doing so would minimise chaos at the last minute. In the comments on Chan's post, some called the decision to cancel school so far in advance rash. It caused disappointment for students who were looking forward to their graduation ceremonies and other school-wide events, they said.
RTHK
13-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
InvestHK again flags SAR as stable business location
InvestHK again flags SAR as stable business location Invest Hong Kong director-general Alpha Lau was speaking after a Commercial Radio programme. Photo: RTHK Current geopolitical tensions may bring more opportunities to Hong Kong as companies require a stable business environment, Invest Hong Kong director-general Alpha Lau has reiterated. Speaking after a Commercial Radio programme on Sunday, Lau said the number of foreign companies moving to Hong Kong had been on the rise in recent years and that tariffs were now also a factor. 'The companies told me that, although in the short term these uncertainties are not very good for doing business, they are looking for a platform where the whole region is growing,' she said. This month Invest Hong Kong announced that it had helped over 1,300 overseas and mainland companies expand their business here, bringing foreign direct investment of more than HK$160 billion and exceeding the performance indicators set out in the 2022 Policy Address.
HKFP
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- HKFP
Hong Kong authorities plan to propose ride-hailing regulations in July
Hong Kong authorities plan to propose regulations for online ride-hailing platforms such as Uber this month, the city's transport minister has said. Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme on Sunday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said the framework would regulate drivers, their vehicles, and online platforms. The authorities would take into consideration the public's convenience, the orderly development of the industry, the public transport system, and road-carrying capacity in deciding the number of licences, she said. However, Chan did not say how many licences the authorities would issue. The government has taken reference from regulatory frameworks in mainland China and overseas, some of which require drivers and their vehicles to meet certain conditions and pass evaluations, including safety tests before they can be licensed, she added. 'Healthy and positive' 'We hope to create a healthy and positive competitive environment to allow both taxi and ride-hailing services to coexist, complement each other, and develop in an orderly fashion,' Chan said. Ride-hailing apps currently operate in a grey area in the city, which requires vehicles offering hailing services to have a hire car permit. Private vehicle owners who sign up with online platforms to provide hailing services without a permit could be punished by up to six months in jail and a HK$10,000 fine for the first offence. Ride-hailing services such as Uber have seen rising popularity amid long-standing dissatisfaction with taxi service standards. However, the cab industry is calling for tougher action against Uber and the like, saying that their livelihoods have been adversely affected by ride-hailing services. The transport minister said on Sunday that the government was not 'ignoring' the taxi trade. The government intends to improve taxi services by making it mandatory for taxis to have CCTVs and electronic payment systems installed, she said. Chan also said that the regulations would help 'stabilise' the two industries and that she was confident that cab drivers' and ride-hailing drivers' incomes would incentivise them to provide their services. The government's plan to submit the proposal to the Legislative Council would coincide with the official rollout of 'taxi fleets' in late July. The authorities issued taxi fleet licences to five companies in July last year in a bid to boost taxi services amid long-standing dissatisfaction with the city's cabbies. Whether the operators get a full five-year operating licence will depend on how prepared they are for a full rollout, involving factors such as whether they are sufficiently staffed, Chan said on Sunday.
RTHK
28-06-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Northern Metropolis tender details in progress: Linn
Northern Metropolis tender details in progress: Linn Development chief Bernadette Linn says the focus is on developing the Northern Metropolis. File photo: RTHK Authorities are hammering out details before putting one or two sizeable land parcels in the Northern Metropolis project up for tender in the second half of 2025, development chief Bernadette Linn said on Saturday. The minister said officials are prioritising development in the northern New Territories, while brushing aside calls to shelve the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands project. "The economy is growing steadily, and the government hopes that all sectors will focus on development in the Northern Metropolis. We have made it clear that we don't have a specific timetable for the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands plan, and we are slowing down," Linn told a Commercial Radio programme. "In terms of the word 'shelve', if it means we will never continue with it, I think the government should have the lead in land development and we should not casually say we will never do something in the future." The administration had earlier received submissions from both local and mainland firms expressing an interest in developing the three large-scale land parcels in the Northern Metropolis project. "We are now analysing and preparing detailed terms of the tender, with the goal of starting the bidding process for at least one or two land parcels in the latter half of the year," she said. On plans to develop three major ecotourism projects in outlying islands and coastal areas, Linn said the plan to transform the ex-Lamma Quarry site might be the first on the list. Authorities aim to complete the area's land use planning in the first half of next year, before starting the tendering process, she said. The other two plans include developing a new Eco-Recreation Corridor in South Lantau, and creating ecotourism nodes at Tsim Bei Tsui and Pak Nai.
