CHP continues to investigate food poisoning clusters involving passengers on flights from Nepal
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (January 10) continued to investigate a food poisoning cluster involving passengers on a flight arriving in Hong Kong from Nepal yesterday (January 9). The cluster is believed to be epidemiologically linked to a food poisoning cluster announced on January 8, in which the affected people had similar symptoms and had consumed similar food items before the onset of the illness. The two clusters involved a total of 36 people. The CHP appealed to passengers travelling on Cathay Pacific Airways Limited (CX) flights (flight number: CX640) from Kathmandu to Hong Kong and landing on January 8 and 9 to call the CHP hotline (2125 2372) for an appropriate health assessment.
The cluster reported on January 9 involved 20 persons (14 males and six females) aged between 11 and 51 coming from eight unknown families/groups. They developed food poisoning symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal pain and fever, about 10 to 30 minutes after consuming in-flight meals. Thirteen of them sought medical advice upon landing in the early morning of January 9. None required hospitalisation. Other than the food served on the flight, the CHP's investigation did not find that they had consumed any common food before boarding the plane.
Regarding the cluster announced on January 8, the number of affected people has increased to 16. The six newly reported cases included one male and five females. Of the 16 people, nine were from the same exchange group, and the remaining seven do not know each other. They arrived in Hong Kong on the early morning of January 8 and developed food poisoning symptoms, including vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain and fever, about 10 to 30 minutes after having meals served on the flight. The investigation revealed that the seven persons who were not part of the exchange group had not consumed any common food before boarding the plane.
The CHP is conducting a comprehensive investigation into the two cases from various angles, including reviewing the food consumed by the symptomatic persons before the onset of illness, such as bread, fruits, beetroot salad, lamb rice, chicken rice and ice-cream, which were common food items served on the flights concerned, as well as other food items consumed at the airport or in Nepal prior to boarding. Investigators took samples for testing from the same batch of food that was not served to passengers on either flights.
The CHP is still actively investigating the incidents and does not rule out the possibility that the number of people affected may increase. Staff of the CHP and the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department have conducted an inspection at the Cathay Pacific Catering Service (H.K.) Limited, which supplied the food for the flights concerned, and the aircraft concerned to examine the food preparation process and hygiene. The investigation found that the food concerned was stored at an appropriate temperature and in an appropriate manner. However, as the beetroot salad requires more manual preparation and does not need to be reheated before consumption, the CHP has, as a precaution, instructed the premises concerned to suspend the supply of beetroot salad immediately.
The CHP has reported the cases to the World Health Organization and the Nepalese health authority, and inquired whether there are any other reports from other places of food poisoning among passengers on flights from Nepal to destinations other than Hong Kong. The CHP appealed to those who were on the flights operated by CX (flight number: CX640) from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Hong Kong on January 7 and 8 (Nepal time) to call the CHP hotline for follow-up and medical surveillance. The hotline has been in operation since January 9 and will continue until January 17, from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday and Sunday. They should seek medical advice immediately if they develop symptoms of infection, such as fever or feeling unwell.
To prevent foodborne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out, one should:
Avoid eating raw seafood;
Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters at a buffet;
Choose pasteurised eggs, egg products or dried egg powder for dishes that often use lightly cooked or uncooked eggs;
Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
Store and reheat pre-cooked or leftover foods properly before consumption;
Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hotpot or barbecue meal;
Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
Use two sets of chopsticks and utensils to handle raw and cooked foods;
Avoid patronising illegal food hawkers;
Drink boiled water;
Refrain from trying to use salt, vinegar, wine or wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and
Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a series of territory-wide anti-illegal worker operations codenamed "Lightshadow" and "Twilight", and joint operations with the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Champion" and "Windsand", for three consecutive days from January 7 to yesterday (January 9). A total of four suspected illegal workers, one suspected employer and two overstayers were arrested.
During the anti-illegal worker operations, ImmD Task Force officers raided 30 target locations including commercial buildings, a hair salon and restaurants. Four suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers comprised three men and one woman, aged 31 to 52. Among them, three men were holders of recognisance forms, which prohibit them from taking any employment. In addition, one man was suspected of using and being in possession of a forged Hong Kong identity card. One man, aged 36, was suspected of employing the illegal worker and was also arrested.
During operation "Champion", enforcement officers raided 46 target locations in Mong Kok district. Two overstayers were arrested. The arrested overstayers comprised two women, both aged 48.
An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."
The spokesman warned, "As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. Under the prevailing laws, it is an offence to use or possess a forged Hong Kong identity card or a Hong Kong identity card related to another person. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $100,000 and up to 10 years' imprisonment."
The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operations Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
