Invest Hong Kong provides updates on information security incident
Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) provided an update today (March 3) on the information security incident identified on February 22 which involved a malicious ransomware attack to part of InvestHK's computer systems. According to InvestHK's investigation findings, there was no evidence indicating leakage of personal information. No further suspicious activities have been identified. InvestHK is very grateful for the support and assistance rendered by the Police and the Digital Policy Office (DPO) during the incident. The department's computer systems have largely resumed normal operations today.
The spokesman for InvestHK said that as the global cybersecurity landscape was evolving, the department would continue to enhance its cyber resilience level and cybersecurity risk management. It will also follow the suggestions from the DPO and experts in tightening its IT security systems to prevent similar incidents from happening again .
The spokesman reminded members of the public to stay alert and to refrain from clicking on any embedded links or providing any personal or financial information such as credit card information, or making any payment to suspicious emails or SMS messages.
The department condemns such malicious attacks again and hopes that the culprits can be brought to justice as soon as possible so as to safeguard information and cybersecurity.
DH calls on eligible female Hong Kong residents to complete HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer as Government's catch-up programme will conclude at end of next month
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (November 12) reminded the public that the one-off Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Catch-up Programme, launched by the Government in 2024, will end on December 31, 2026. Eligible female Hong Kong residents who have received the first dose* of HPV vaccination under the catch-up programme should act quickly and complete their vaccination series, in order to avoid missing this final opportunity to receive the HPV vaccination for free.
"Receiving HPV vaccination can effectively prevent life-threatening cervical cancer. The catch-up programme has been in place for nearly two years, with a cumulative total of over 74 000 vaccine doses administered. Eligible female Hong Kong residents who have received the first dose* under the catch-up programme should contact the Women Wellness Satellites (WWSs) or designated District Health Centres (DHC)/DHC Express as soon as possible to complete their vaccination series. Otherwise, they will need to arrange and pay for their own vaccination in the future," said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.
Under the catch-up programme, each eligible female Hong Kong resident born between 2004 and 2008 who has not completed the HPV vaccination series can receive two doses of free vaccination, while immunocompromised persons have to receive three doses of vaccination (all three doses are free of charge). For women with normal immune function, the recommended interval between the two doses of the HPV vaccine is at least five months. Eligible female Hong Kong residents who have registered an eHealth account can make an appointment either online or by phone (2855 1333) to receive free HPV vaccination at WWSs or designated DHC/DHC Express under the Primary Healthcare Commission of the Health Bureau (please refer to the Annex for details).
"The CHP would like to express its gratitude to all secondary schools and post-secondary institutions for their support, which has facilitated the smooth implementation of the catch-up programme. The CHP has been promoting the catch-up programme by setting up information booths at post-secondary institutions, and arranging for the DH's outreach teams to visit nurse training schools, disciplinary forces training schools, uniformed groups and relevant organisations to aarange catch-up vaccinations.
"Some individuals have misconceptions about the HPV vaccine. For instance, some mistakenly believe that only people with promiscuous lifestyles or multiple sexual partners can contract HPV. Others worry about potential side effects from the vaccine. In fact, HPV vaccines have been used worldwide for many years. The World Health Organization (WHO) and overseas health authorities have confirmed that HPV vaccines are safe and effective. Studies have also shown that receiving the HPV vaccine does not cause children to become sexually active earlier than they otherwise would. I urge eligible female Hong Kong residents to take advantage of this final opportunity to complete the HPV vaccination course free of charge through the catch-up programme before December 31. This will help protect their health and reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer," added Dr Tsui.
Cervical cancer ranks ninth among cancer deaths in females in Hong Kong, with 160 deaths recorded in 2024. Almost all cervical cancers are caused by persistent infection with high-risk HPV. HPV vaccines are effective in preventing high-risk HPV, including HPV 16 and 18, with protection rates over 90 per cent. The WHO recommends that all countries introduce HPV vaccines for girls aged 9 to 14 before their sexual debut, and provide catch-up vaccination for those aged 9 to 18 (including those who missed the vaccination and older girls) in order to lower their risk of developing cervical cancer.
Since the 2019/20 school year, the DH has been providing HPV vaccinations to eligible primary school girls as part of the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme. The cumulative number of doses administered has exceeded 300 000. Based on the data on vaccination coverage rates from the School Immunisation Teams, it is projected that the coverage rate for completion of two doses of HPV vaccination among 15-year-old girls in Hong Kong has surpassed the high level of 90 per cent. Not only does this significantly exceed the 70 per cent interim target coverage rate for completion of HPV vaccinations for school girls as set out in the Hong Kong Cancer Strategy, but it has also achieved ahead of schedule the target of the WHO's Global Strategy for cervical cancer elimination, i.e. 90 per cent of girls fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by the age of 15 before 2030. The catch-up programme was launched in response to the recommendations of the WHO and the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases under the CHP to extend HPV vaccination coverage to older girls aged 18 or below.
Members of the public may visit the CHP's thematic webpage for more information about the HPV vaccination catchup programme, including vaccination venues.
* The recommended interval between the two doses of the HPV vaccine is at least five months.
Source: AI-found images
