Civil Service Volunteers Teach Elders Smartphone Skills at To Kwa Wan Activity Centre

Civil service volunteers visit elderly activity centre

The Civil Service Bureau (CSB) Volunteer Team and the Digital Policy Office Volunteer Team today (May 17) visited an elderly activity centre in To Kwa Wan, and assisted the elderly to learn how to use smartphones and mobile applications. They also had fun from gerontechnology through interactive activities and integration of technology into daily lives.

The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung; the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Clement Leung; and the Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, joined the civil service volunteers to participate in volunteer service under the "Smart Silver" Digital Inclusion Programme for Elders at the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Lok Man Alice Kwok Integrated Service Centre. With the help of the volunteers, the elderly learned how to use the "iAM Smart" mobile app to access useful information such as weather conditions, the use of Scameter, and the waiting time at accident and emergency departments, etc.

Apart from answering their questions on the use of smartphones, the civil service volunteers also let the elderly experience the benefits of digital technology through various games, including doing physical exercises by making use of an AI application developed by the centre for people with knee problems in the community, which allows users to adjust the exercise intensity and movement according to their own physical conditions. In addition, the elderly also participated in games for sensory integration training and cognitive training to help enhance their responsive abilities.

At present, more than 70 civil service volunteer teams have been set up across different government bureaux and departments, providing more diversified types and forms of services ranging from life planning and mentoring services for youth, interest classes, first aid seminars, residential care home visits and home visits to cleaning and maintenance services. In 2024, the volunteer teams organised or participated in around 2 040 volunteer activities, while the attendance of participating volunteers and hours of volunteer service were about 23 500 and over 111 700 respectively, representing an increase of more than 400 volunteer activities and 22 400 hours of service, or 25 per cent for both figures when compared to those of 2023.

Mrs Yeung encouraged civil servants to make use of their knowledge and skills, as well as their rich life experience, to contribute to the community in their spare time, and to demonstrate the civil servants' care for the society and dedication to serving the community.

A fresh round of the Civil Service Volunteer Commendation Scheme has commenced to commend departmental volunteer teams and individual volunteers with high accumulated service hours, as well as individual volunteers who demonstrated outstanding leadership in organising volunteer services. In addition, among the numerous volunteer services or activities organised by departmental volunteer teams, the CSB will select volunteer service projects that are the most distinctive and best showcase civil servants' active collaboration with the community, as well as their effective use of innovative technologies and their own expertise for awarding the Meritorious Volunteer Service Award. The list of award winners is expected to be announced in the third quarter of this year.

Civil service volunteers visit elderly activity centre Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Civil service volunteers visit elderly activity centre Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Civil service volunteers visit elderly activity centre Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Civil service volunteers visit elderly activity centre Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Civil service volunteers visit elderly activity centre Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Update on chikungunya fever

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that, as of 5pm today (January 11), no new cases of chikungunya fever (CF) had been recorded.

Latest surveillance data

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Hong Kong has recorded a total of 82 confirmed CF cases last year. Among them, 11 were local cases, and the rest were imported cases.

Since the beginning of 2025, and as of December 10, 2025, a total of 502 264 CF cases and 186 CF-related deaths have been reported in over 40 countries/territories. Cases have been reported in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Although the northern hemisphere has entered the winter season, temperatures in subtropical and some temperate regions remain elevated due to climate change, creating favourable conditions for mosquito breeding. In addition, CF outbreaks continue to occur in many countries worldwide. The risk of imported cases persists. Members of the public should check the situation of the destinations before travelling abroad, especially when travelling to Southeast Asian countries.

Government's comprehensive follow-up actions

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Given that some local cases of CF have visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails or the surrounding area in November last year, the trails are currently closed until further notice. Relevant government departments continue to conduct large-scale mosquito control and prevention efforts along the trails, and the CHP appeals to the public not to enter the area in order to reduce the risk of contracting CF and to avoid exposure to chemicals or interfering with the mosquito control operations. Since the confirmation on December 10, 2025, of a case involving a person who had visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails on November 30, 2025, no further local cases have been recorded to date. The CHP continues to urge individuals who have recently hiked along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails to seek medical attention as soon as possible if they develop relevant symptoms and to call the enquiry hotline (Tel: 2125 2373), which operates from 9am to 6pm.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has been continuously conducting intensive fogging operations to eliminate adult mosquitoes along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails and the surrounding area. At suitable locations, large ultra-low volume foggers have been deployed, and a robot dog is being put on trial to enhance operational effectiveness. The FEHD has also set up new mosquito trapping devices, cleared discarded containers and garbage that could cause stagnant water, and applied larvicide oil or larvicides in areas with stagnant water that cannot be removed immediately. The FEHD has been collaborating with the Kwai Tsing District Office, the Lands Department and the Drainage Services Department to strengthen efforts in eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails. Pamphlets have been distributed to hikers in the area, urging citizens to be vigilant against mosquito infestations and take personal protective measures. The FEHD has also held meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work across districts to discuss the latest developments regarding the situation and plan accordingly to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders in strengthening mosquito prevention and control measures in areas under their purview.

Continuously strengthening prevention and control

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The FEHD and relevant departments have comprehensively enhanced the mosquito control operations in Hong Kong since July last year, and this has continued. Among these, the FEHD has conducted vector investigations and targeted mosquito control operations against the imported and local cases. In light of the local case, the FEHD has immediately conducted follow-up actions, including:

carrying out intensive fogging in scrubby areas within a 250-metre radius of the relevant locations to kill adult mosquitoes;

carrying out inspections of the locations, removing stagnant water, applying insecticides and disposing of abandoned water containers every week with a view to preventing mosquito breeding; and

enhancing public education efforts through organising health talks, setting up mobile education stations, and distributing publicity leaflets.

The abovementioned measures will be continued. Furthermore, the Government will further enhance the mosquito control efforts in addition to the existing measures.

Preventive measures to be taken by the public

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Members of the public should use DEET-containing insect repellents or other effective active ingredients properly to prevent mosquito bites, but the following precautions should be taken when using them:

read the label instructions carefully first;

apply right before entering an area with a risk of mosquito bites;

apply on exposed skin and clothing;

use DEET of up to 30 per cent for pregnant women and up to 10 per cent for children (for children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent);

apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent;

reapply only when needed and follow the instructions; and

in addition to DEET, there are other insect repellents available on the market containing different active ingredients, such as IR3535 and picaridin. When using any insect repellent, the public should follow the usage instructions and precautions on the product label.

The FEHD also appeals to members of the public to continue to stay alert and work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures early, including inspecting their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, changing water in vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces, removing water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week, and properly disposing of containers such as empty cans and lunch boxes. The FEHD also advises members of the public and property management agencies to keep drains free of blockage and level all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of water. They should also scrub all drains and surface sewers with an alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems, and may visit the following pages for more information: the CF page of theCHPand theTravel Health Service, the latestTravel Health News,tips for using insect repellents, and the CHPFacebook Page,Instagram AccountandYouTube Channel, and also theMosquito Prevention and Control dedicated pageof the FEHD.

Source: AI-found images