DH following up on cluster of infections of disease of temporarily unknown cause in Democratic Republic of Congo
Following reports of a cluster of infections of a disease of temporarily unknown cause in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said today (December 5) that it had taken the initiative to seek further information from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the DRC health authorities.
According to the information announced by the DRC health authorities, since late October, 79 deaths due to a disease of still unknown cause have been recorded in a district in Kwango province, and more than 300 people have been infected. Most of the patients were aged above 15 and suffered from fever, headache, runny nose, cough, breathing difficulty and anaemia.
"Under the current mechanism, Hong Kong has been equipped with the ability to detect infections of unknown cause and emerging infectious diseases at boundary control points and hospitals. On the immigration level, the DH has been conducting temperature screening for arrivals at all boundary control points. Those who are found to have a fever will be assessed and transferred to public hospitals for medical examination as appropriate. Upon noticing that a disease of temporarily unknown cause in the DRC, the DH has immediately tried to collect the latest information from various channels to conduct risk assessment and formulate appropriate preventive and control measures," a spokesman for the CHP said.
There are currently no direct flights between the DRC and Hong Kong. The CHP has learned from the trade that travellers coming to Hong Kong from the DRC may generally choose transit hubs in Africa to Hong Kong, including Johannesburg in South Africa and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. In light of the disease of temporarily unknown cause in the DRC, the CHP has, as a precautionary measure, immediately stepped up health screenings at the airport for passengers on all flights arriving in Hong Kong from the above-mentioned transit hubs. Port Health staff have been arranged to carry out temperature checks for travellers at the relevant flight gates, conduct medical assessments for symptomatic travellers and refer suspected cases of infections with public health significance to hospitals for medical examination.
"Members of the public who plan to go to the DRC should be vigilant and pay attention to personal and environmental hygiene at all times, and avoid visiting crowded places and having contact with sick persons. Upon returning to Hong Kong, one should seek medical treatment as soon as possible if they feel unwell and take the initiative to inform their doctors of their relevant travel history," he added.
Since October, the DH has not received any reports of people or travellers arriving in Hong Kong from the DRC suffering from unknown diseases.
"The DH will continue to closely monitor the situation in the DRC and WHO's related information, and take appropriate preventive and control measures based on risk assessment to protect public health," the spokesman said.
Electors reminded to vote at allocated polling stations and follow proper voting procedures
The 2025 Legislative Council General Election (LCGE) will be held on December 7 (Sunday). A spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) said today (December 5) that poll cards have been mailed to about 4.13 million registered electors. Electors should vote at their allocated polling stations and follow proper voting procedures when casting their votes.
Poll cards
In addition to the poll card, the election mail sent to each elector by the REO also includes a map indicating the location of the allocated polling station, a guide on voting procedure, introduction to candidates leaflets in respect of his/her relevant constituency(ies), and a publicity leaflet on clean elections by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The REO spokesman said, "In response to the Electoral Affairs Commission's earlier announcement to extend the polling hours for this LCGE, the previous polling hours stated in the poll cards and other relevant documents already sent out by the REO are no longer valid. Electors should note that the REO has sent out another notice to all Hong Kong electors, stating the new polling hours (i.e. from 7.30am to 11.30pm)."
Due to the Tai Po fire, adjustments have been made to three polling stations in the district. Affected electors need to relocate from their original polling stations to the reallocated polling stations for casting their votes. Except for those electors of Wang Fuk Court who are currently residing in other districts, the REO has sent a notice to affected electors in Kwong Fuk Estate, Tai Po Kau area and Tai Po Market to inform them of their reallocated polling stations. The affected electors may also check relevant voting information by logging into the Online Voter Information Enquiry System (www.voterinfo.gov.hk) through "iAM Smart" or the Voter Registration website (vr.gov.hk).
Arrangements of polling stations
The REO spokesman said, "There are over 4.13 million geographical constituency (GC) electors across the territory. The REO will set up 612 Ordinary Polling Stations. GC and functional constituency (FC) electors may go to the Ordinary Polling Station allocated to them and cast their votes for the candidates of their GCs and FCs (if applicable) at the same time. Approximately 1 500 electors of the Election Committee constituency (ECC) can cast their votes for all relevant constituencies at the polling station at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC)."
On the polling day, the polling hours for the Ordinary Polling Stations, the ECC polling station, the three Dedicated Polling Stations set up at police stations and the Near Boundary Polling Stations (NBPSs) will be from 7.30am to 11.30pm. For the Dedicated Polling Stations set up at penal institutions, for security reasons, the polling hours will be from 9am to 4pm. For the Designated Polling Stations and Outreach Polling Stations for Residential Care Homes under the pilot arrangements, their polling hours are from 8.30am to 9.30pm, and from 8.30am to 6.30pm respectively.
Two queues will be set up at the polling stations. One queue is for people aged 70 or above, pregnant women and persons who are unable to queue for a long time due to physical conditions, while the other queue is for ordinary electors. Seats will be provided in the polling stations for any electors in need, and to join the queue afterwards for collecting their ballot papers.
To facilitate the voting by electors on the polling day, the Government has identified different premises nearby over 30 polling stations to provide some temporary parking spaces. Those in need may park their vehicles there for a short duration for casting their votes at the polling stations. The opening hours of the parking spaces concerned are in general from 7.30am to 11.30pm on the polling day. Electors should refer to the terms of use and the instructions of the management of the premises for the detailed arrangements that day (including the duration of free parking and the parking fee thereafter (if any)). Details of the temporary parking spaces are at annex.
On the polling day, electors can check the approximate waiting time of Ordinary Polling Stations, the ECC polling station and NBPSs on the election website (www.elections.gov.hk). Depending on the waiting time and their schedule, electors can make their own arrangements on when to vote.
Voting procedures
Most Ordinary Polling Stations will make use of the Electronic Poll Register (EPR) System to issue ballot papers. The polling procedures are very simple. Electors will be instructed by the polling staff to the issuing desks after they enter the polling station. The elector must show the original of his/her valid Hong Kong identity (HKID) card and the polling staff will scan the elector's HKID card with an EPR tablet. The elector may check his/her name, partial HKID card number and the type(s) of ballot paper(s) that he/she is entitled to on an EPR tablet for verification of information. The elector may then enter the voting compartment upon collection of the ballot paper(s).
GC electors must affix the chop provided at the polling station to mark a single 'tick' in the circle opposite the name of the candidate of their choice on the ballot paper by themselves, and then insert the unfolded ballot paper into the blue ballot box with the marked side facing down. As for FCs, electors must mark the ballot paper using the black pen provided at the polling station to fill in the oval on the ballot paper opposite the name(s) of the candidate(s) of their choice by themselves, and then insert the unfolded ballot paper into the red ballot box with the marked side facing down.
ECC electors must vote for 40 candidates, no more and no less. Otherwise, the ballot paper will be considered invalid and will not be counted. Electors must use the black pen provided at the polling station to fill in the oval opposite the names of the candidates of their choice. After marking the ballot paper, electors should use the Ballot Paper Checking Machine to check whether the number of candidates marked on the paper is 40. The machine will not record the choices marked on the ballot paper. Electors should put the ballot paper, unfolded with the marked side facing down, into the white ballot box.
The ballot is autonomous and secret. Electors must mark their ballot papers on their own in the voting compartment. If in need, electors may ask for assistance from the polling staff. Electors must not disturb others during voting, nor use electronic communication devices, take photographs or make audio or video recordings in the polling stations. Canvassing, distribution of election advertisements or displaying propaganda materials are also prohibited inside polling stations.
To ensure that electors understand the polling procedures, the REO has produced a set of TV and radio Announcements in the Public Interest which have been uploaded onto the election websitefor electors' reference.
Counting and result announcement
After the close of poll, a majority of the Ordinary Polling Stations will be changed to counting stations immediately for the counting of GC votes. For small polling stations of which less than 500 electors are assigned to vote, Dedicated Polling Stations, the ECC polling station, NBPSs, Designated Polling Stations and Outreach Polling Stations for Residential Care Homes, the GC ballot papers will be delivered to the ballot paper sorting station cum consolidated main counting stations at Kowloon Park Sports Centre for counting. The ballot boxes of all FCs and the ECC will be delivered to the Central Counting Station at the HKCEC for counting.
For the GCs, upon completion of the count, the Presiding Officer of each counting station will make known the counting results to the candidates or their agents present. Upon verification of the counting results of all counting stations in a GC, the REO will notify the Returning Officer (RO) at the Central Counting Station at HKCEC of the overall counting result for the RO to sign and declare the election results at the Media Centre. As for the FCs and ECC, once the counting of votes is completed and the election results are verified by the Statistical Information Centre, the ROs will notify the present candidates and their agents of the counting results, and sign and declare the election results at the counting zone of the Central Counting Station. The election results will be announced again by the ROs on stage of the Media Centre.
The election results will be published via press releases and the election website, as well as displaying outside the Media Centre.
Clean elections
The REO spokesman reminded that according to the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (Cap. 554), it is illegal conduct to incite any person not to vote, to cast a blank or invalid vote by any activity in public during an election; and it is corrupt conduct if a person willfully obstructs and prevents another person from voting at an election.
For enquiries, please call the REO's hotline at 2891 1001 or visit the election website for more information on the LCGE.
Source: AI-found images
