Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area visits Vietnam to promote business opportunities in the GBA and Hong Kong's strengths
The Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Ms Maisie Chan, began a two-day visit to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, today (December 16), to introduce the vibrant development and unlimited opportunities in various areas of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), as well as promote Hong Kong as the ideal gateway for Vietnamese enterprises and talent to tap into the GBA market.
Upon arrival at Ho Chi Minh City, Ms Chan met with senior representatives of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Hong Kong Business Association Vietnam to learn about the latest developments in the country. She also promoted to business leaders and senior executives at the meeting how Hong Kong, as a core city of the GBA, could help Vietnamese enterprises seize the enormous opportunities brought about by GBA development.
Ms Chan said that the GBA, as one of the most economically vibrant and open regions of the country, has an economy roughly equivalent in size to the 10th largest economy in the world, and is a fast-growing economic power. As the only world-class city that can capitalise on both the China advantage and the international advantage globally, Hong Kong possesses a first-class business environment that is highly market oriented, internationalised and underpinned by the rule of law. Under the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong serves as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder" between the Mainland and global markets, as well as an ideal partner for overseas enterprises to tap into the vast markets of the GBA and the rest of the Mainland. She encouraged Vietnamese enterprises and talent to leverage Hong Kong's advantages to broaden their space for development in the GBA.
Tomorrow (December 17), Ms Chan will call on the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr Wei Huaxiang, in the morning. In the afternoon, she will attend the Ho Chi Minh City - GBA Economic and Trade Investment Promotion Conference co-organised by various organisations including the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, the GBA Entrepreneurs Alliance, the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City, etc. She will deliver a keynote speech on the theme of "Hong Kong: The Best Gateway to the Greater Bay Area for Vietnamese Businesses", to introduce the geographical advantages and development potential of the GBA, including various innovative policies and measures to enable the efficient flow of people, goods, capital and information within the GBA, as well as how Vietnamese enterprises and talent can make good use of these policies and measures to enter the enormous market of the GBA through Hong Kong.
Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area visits Vietnam to promote business opportunities in the GBA and Hong Kong's strengths Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area visits Vietnam to promote business opportunities in the GBA and Hong Kong's strengths Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area visits Vietnam to promote business opportunities in the GBA and Hong Kong's strengths Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Commissioner for the Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area visits Vietnam to promote business opportunities in the GBA and Hong Kong's strengths Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DH announced latest situation of Legionnaires' Disease cases
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (December 16) reported the latest number of cases of Legionnaires' disease (LD), and reminded the public of the importance of using and maintaining properly designed man-made water systems, adding that susceptible groups should strictly observe relevant precautions.
From December 8 to 14, the CHP recorded the following two community-acquired LD cases:
A 60-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses living in Sha Tin District; and
A 79-year-old female patient with underlying illnesses living in North 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 December 14, 133 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.
