LegCo Members meet with Consuls-General and Honorary Consuls in Hong Kong

2024-07-05 21:59 Last Updated At：22:08

Legco members and consuls-general gather for cocktail reception and exchange of views in hong kong's legco complex

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

A cocktail reception between the Legislative Council (LegCo) Members and Consuls-General (CGs), as well as Honorary Consuls (HCs) in Hong Kong was held today (July 5) in the LegCo Complex, which provided an opportunity for them to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

Before the cocktail reception, the President of LegCo, Mr Andrew Leung, conducted a briefing for attending CGs and HCs on the work of LegCo, which included fulfilling the constitutional duty to enact legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law in March this year. The CGs and HCs were also briefed on the total number of Bills expected to be passed and the financial proposals anticipated to be approved by summer recess in mid-July by the current term LegCo; as well as the latest progress of the LegCo Complex expansion project. Attending CGs and HCs then toured the LegCo Complex.

A total of 71 Members attended the cocktail reception. Meanwhile, 36 CGs or their representatives and 8 HCs attended the guided tour, briefing, and cocktail reception.

Update on cases of Legionnaires' disease

2024-07-08 17:30 Last Updated At：17:38

Chp reports increase in legionnaires' disease cases, emphasizes importance of proper water system maintenance and precautions for high-risk groups

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (July 8) reported the latest number of cases of Legionnaires' disease (LD), and stressed the importance of using and maintaining properly designed man-made water systems, adding that susceptible groups should strictly observe relevant precautions.

From June 30 to July 6, the CHP recorded one community-acquired LD case, involving a male patient, aged 57 with underlying illnesses, who lives in Islands District.

"Epidemiological investigations are ongoing to identify potential sources of infection, high-risk exposure and clusters, if any," a spokesman for the CHP said.

As of July 6, 52 LD cases had been recorded this year. In 2023 and 2022, there were 121 and 80 cases respectively.

"Men, people aged over 50, smokers, alcoholics and persons with weakened immunity are more susceptible to LD. Some situations may also increase the risk of infection, including poor maintenance of water systems; living in areas with old water systems, cooling towers or fountains; using electric water heaters, whirlpools and spas or hot water spring spas; and recent stays in hotels or vessels," the spokesman said.

Legionellae are found in various environmental settings and grow well in warm water (20 to 45 degrees Celsius). They can be found in aqueous environments such as water tanks, hot and cold water systems, cooling towers, whirlpools and spas, water fountains and home apparatus that support breathing. People may become infected when they breathe in contaminated droplets (aerosols) and mist generated by artificial water systems, or when handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes.

Immunocompromised persons should:

Use sterile or boiled water for drinking, tooth brushing and mouth rinsing;

Avoid using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices; and

If using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices, fill the water tank with only sterile or cooled freshly boiled water, and not water directly from the tap. Also, clean and maintain humidifiers/devices regularly according to manufacturers' instructions. Never leave stagnant water in a humidifier/device. Empty the water tank, wipe all surfaces dry, and change the water daily.

The public should observe the health advice below:

Observe personal hygiene;

Do not smoke and avoid alcohol consumption;

Strainers in water taps and shower heads should be inspected, cleaned, descaled and disinfected regularly or at a frequency recommended by the manufacturer;

If a fresh-water plumbing system is properly maintained, it is not necessary to install domestic water filters. Use of water filters is not encouraged as clogging occurs easily, which can promote growth of micro-organisms. In case water filters are used, the pore size should be 0.2 micrometres (µm) and the filter needs to be changed periodically according to the manufacturer's recommendations;

Drain and clean water tanks of buildings at least quarterly;

Drain or purge for at least one minute infrequently used water outlets (e.g. water taps, shower heads and hot water outlets) and stagnant points of the pipework weekly or before use;

Seek and follow doctors' professional advice regarding the use and maintenance of home respiratory devices and use only sterile water (not distilled or tap water) to clean and fill the reservoir. Clean and maintain the device regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions. After cleaning/disinfection, rinse the device with sterile water, cooled freshly boiled water or water filtered with 0.2 µm filters. Never leave stagnant water in the device. Empty the water tank, keep all surfaces dry, and change the water daily; and

When handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes:

Wear gloves and a face mask;

Water gardens and compost gently using low pressure;

Open composted potting mixes slowly and make sure the opening is directed away from the face;

Wet the soil to reduce dust when potting plants; and

Avoid working in poorly ventilated places such as enclosed greenhouses.

The public may visit the CHP'sLD page, theCode of Practice for Prevention of LDand theHousekeeping Guidelines for Cold and Hot Water Systems for Building Managementof the Prevention of LD Committee, and the CHP'srisk-based strategyfor prevention and control of LD.