DH announces latest situation of Legionnaires' disease cases
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 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 June 8 to 14, the CHP recorded seven LD cases. Among these, one was imported case, four were community-acquired cases and two cases involved individuals who had stayed in both Hong Kong and the Mainland during the incubation period, pending classification as imported or community-acquired cases.
The details of the imported case is as follows:
A 67-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses, who travelled to the Mainland during the incubation period.
The details of the community-acquired are as follows:
A 76-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses living in Kowloon City District;
A 68-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses living in Tsuen Wan District;
A 56-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses living in Yuen Long District; and
A 53-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses living in Sham Shui Po District.
The details of the cases with place of infection to be determined are as follows:
A 75-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses, who lives in Tsuen Wan District. He travelled to the Mainland during the incubation period; and
A 59-year-old male patient with good past health, who lives in the Mainland and travelled back and forth to Hong Kong during the incubation period.
The CHP is conducting epidemiological investigations to identify potential sources of infection and high-risk exposure. Initial investigation revealed that all seven cases are sporadic cases. No epidemiological linkages have been established between these case and other confirmed cases previously recorded in Hong Kong.
As of June 14, 61 LD cases had been recorded this year. In 2024 and 2023, there were 135 and 121 LD 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.
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.
TD implements "Online Same-day Queue Ticket" arrangement for direct issue of Hong Kong Full Driving Licence
The Transport Department (TD) announced today (January 7) that,starting from next Monday (January 12), the Hong Kong Licensing Office (HKLO) at United Centre, Admiralty,will implementthe"Online Same-day Queue Ticket" arrangement for applications forthedirect issue oftheHong Kong Full Driving Licence ("direct issue"). This will fully replace the existing on-site ticketing arrangement, further streamlining application procedures, meeting increasing demand, and ensuring fair and orderly access to services forpersonsin need.
No on-site ticketing for direct issue in coming two days
Due totheabuse of the on-site ticketing arrangement, to prevent queuing for"direct issue"applications from affecting other licensing services while improving order management at the licensing office, the TD willcease theon-site ticketing for"direct issue"applications startingfromtomorrow (January 8). From January 12 onwards, applicants or their agents may obtain tickets online through the "Online Same-day Queue Ticket" service.In addition, the existing online appointment booking system for"direct issue"counter services remains unchanged, and applicants who have already booked appointments in advance may continue tovisitthe HKLO at their scheduled times to submit"direct issue"applications.
"Online Same-day Queue Ticket" arrangement
FromJanuary 12, the TD will open the system at 7amoneach working day to provide 300 same-day tickets. Each ticket allows submission of one"direct issue"application for the designated applicant. Applicants must access the "Online Same-day Queue Ticket" system via the designated webpage (www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/licences_and_permits/osqt/index.html) to obtain a ticket on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants are required to input to thesystemwith information such as the first four digits/characters of the identification document number, English name, and mobile phone number (including numbers registered outside Hong Kong).
Successful applicants will receive SMS notifications sentby#cefs@govhk and have tovisitthe HKLO counter at the specified timeslot stated in the message to submit their applications. Late arrivals or absentees will need to re-apply for a ticket through thesystem. The TD will continue to monitortheapplication demand and adjust the number ofsame-daytickets as necessary.
The "Online Same-day Queue Ticket" arrangement is provided with the assistance of the Digital Policy Office (DPO), which aims to facilitate remote same-day ticket collectionby "direct issue"applicants, eliminating the need for physical queuing and simplifying the application process. The TD willworkcloselywiththeDPO to ensure smooth and stable system operation.
The HKLO willput up notices on the new "Online Same-day Queue Ticket" arrangement for "direct issue" applications and deploy additional staff to maintain order, answer public enquiries, and provide assistance. Ticketing and queuing arrangements for other driving licence-related counter services remain unchanged.
A TD spokesman stressed that the department has always processed and verified each"direct issue"application in a stringent manner. Applicants must submit sufficient, true and accurate documentary proof and fully meet the eligibility criteria stipulated under the law before approval will be granted.
Towards full online services for"direct issue"applications
Further, the TD is working closely withtheDPO to enhance the online appointment booking system for"direct issue"counter services, including the introduction of new authentication technologies and expansion of system capacity, with a view to fully implementing online appointment booking services as soon as possible and extending "direct issue" counter services to the other three Licensing Offices, namely the Kowloon Licensing Office at Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, the Kwun Tong Licensing Office at Kowloon East Government Offices, and the Sha Tin Licensing Office at Sha Tin Government Offices.
In the longer term, the TD is actively exploring the use of artificial intelligence technologies in"direct issue"application procedures. Applicants will be able to upload application documents for preliminary vetting online and only need to bring the original documents to the Licensing Office at their booked timeslot for verification. This will further reducetheneed for submission via agents.TheTD will continue to promote digitalisation of licensing services and announce details of new initiatives in due course.
Source: AI-found images
