CHP investigates confirmed Mpox case
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said today (November 17) that it is investigating a confirmed Mpox (also known as Monkeypox) case, and urged the public to be vigilant and avoid close physical contact with persons suspected of contracting Mpox. Meanwhile, high-risk target groups are advised to receive Mpox vaccinations.
The case involves a 33-year-old male. He developed a skin rash on November 9 and attended the Yau Ma Tei Male Social Hygiene Clinic of the DHon November 13. He is undergoing isolation at Princess Margaret Hospital and is currently in stable condition.
According to the patient, he did not receive Mpox vaccination and he had a history of high-risk exposure in Hong Kong during the incubation period. No epidemiological linkages between this case and other confirmed cases recorded in Hong Kong earlier could be identified so far. The CHP is continuing its epidemiological investigations of the case and will attempt to contact individuals who were at high-risk exposure to him. The CHP will report the case to the World Health Organization.
Hong Kong has put in place the Preparedness and Response Plan for Mpox since June 2022 and activated the alert response level under the Plan after the first confirmed case of Mpox in September of the same year. The CHP has implemented a series of measures (including enhanced surveillance, contact tracing, public education and vaccination), which have been effective in preventing local outbreaks of Mpox in the past three years.
Since 2022, a total of 83 Mpox cases (67 local and 16 imported) have been recorded in Hong Kong, of which 15 cases were recorded this year. All the patients were male. Epidemiological investigations revealed that most cases had history of high-risk sexual behaviour, including having sex with strangers or without wearing condoms when having sex. Hong Kong has not yet detected any new Mpox strain (Clade Ib) cases.
The CHP reminded high-risk target groups to receive Mpox vaccinations in order to lower the risk of infection or the possibility of having more severe symptoms after infection. In addition, persons who experience Mpox symptoms (including rashes, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle pain, and severe headaches) or suspect themselves of being infected are advised to seek medical attention and receive treatment at once. They should not engage in activities with others that may expose others to their skin rash or body fluids. Members of the public should maintain good personal and hand hygiene to prevent virus transmission or infection through contact. They should also avoid close physical contact with persons or animals suspected of being infected.
The CHP has set up a telephone hotline (2125 2373), which operates from Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, excluding public holidays. Those who suspect or are concerned that they may have had high-risk contact with confirmed cases, particularly men who have sex with men or those who have sexual practices with strangers, can use the hotline to make enquiries and receive relevant health advice.
Furthermore, the DH provides vaccination services to high-risk groups of Mpox. The following high-risk target groups are eligible for Mpox vaccinations on a voluntary basis:
individuals with high-risk sexual practices, e.g. having multiple sexual partners, sex workers, or having a history of sexually transmitted infection within the past 12 months;
healthcare workersresponsible forcaring forpatients with confirmed Mpox;
laboratory personnel working with zoonotic pox viruses; and
animal care personnel with high risk of exposure in caseof Mpox occurrences in animals in Hong Kong.
High-risk target groups can receive Mpox walk-in vaccinations at any of the DH's Social Hygiene Service Clinics (SocHS) (namely Chai Wan SocHS, Wan Chai Male SocHS, Wan Chai Female SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Male SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Female SocHS, Yung Fung Shee SocHS, Fanling SocHS and Tuen Mun SocHS) and the DH's Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre.
Meanwhile, the DH's Kowloon Bay Integrated Treatment Centre and the Hospital Authority's Special Medical Clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital also provide Mpox vaccination services for their clients.
For more details, please visit the CHP's page onMpoxandMpox Vaccination Programme.
Source: AI-found images
Boccia and Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy wheelchair fencing competition of 12th NGD and 9th NSOG to be held tomorrow
The National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) announced today (December 8) that the boccia and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy wheelchair fencing competition of the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG) will be held from tomorrow (December 9) to December 14 at Kai Tak Arena and Ma On Shan Sports Centre respectively.
Hong Kong will stage all boccia events including men's and women's individual, double and team events, and 14 gold medals will be awarded. The boccia competition will comprise nearly 100 athletes joining from 13 teams from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao competing for honours, and Hong Kong will field 11 men and eight women athletes to compete. The competition schedule is as follows:
Date |
Time |
Competition details |
December 9
(Tuesday) |
10am to 1.30pm and 2.30pm to 6pm |
Men's and women's individual events: group stage |
December 10
(Wednesday) |
December 11
(Thursday) |
10am to 12.30pm and 2.30pm to 4.30pm |
Men's and women's individual events: group stage and knockout rounds |
December 12
(Friday) |
10am to noon and 2pm to 4.30pm |
Men's and women's individual events: semifinals and finals |
December 13
(Saturday) |
10am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 6pm |
Men's and women's double and group events: group stage and round-robin matches |
December 14
(Sunday) |
10 am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 4.30pm |
Men's and women's double and group events: round-robin matches, semifinals and finals |
As for the Hong Kong Jockey Club Trophy wheelchair fencing competition, Hong Kong will also stage all events including men's and women's individual and team foil, épée, and sabre competitions, and 24 gold medals will be awarded. Over 80 athletes joining from 10 teams from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao will compete for medals, with Hong Kong sending seven male and six female athletes. The competition schedule is as follows:
Date |
Time |
Competition details |
December 9
(Tuesday) |
9am to 5pm |
Men's sabre individual (Category A and B) and Women's foil individual (Category A and B) |
December 10
(Wednesday) |
Men's sabre team, Women's épée individual (Category C), Women's foil team and Men's épée individual (Category C) |
December 11
(Thursday) |
Men's foil individual (Category A and B) and Women's épée team (Category A and B) |
December 12
(Friday) |
Men's foil team, Women's sabre individual (Category C),Women's épée team and Men's sabre individual (Category C) |
December 13
(Saturday) |
Women's sabre individual (Category A and B) and Men's épée individual (Category A and B) |
December 14
(Sunday) |
Men's épée team, Women's foil individual (Category C), Women's sabre team and Men's foil individual (Category C) |
Note: Wheelchair fencers are classified into three categories based on their level of impairment: A, B and C, with A representing the mildest impairment and C the most severe.
Members of the public can purchase tickets through various channels, including the 12th NGD and 9th NSOG official ticketing website (ticket.baygamespara.cn) or by searching for the official mini programme on WeChat, after completing a real-name account registration. Members of the public can also visit 11 designated sales outlets (ww2.ctshk.com/articleDetail?id=4&channelId=-1) of the China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited to buy paper tickets for events in the Hong Kong competition region. Furthermore, services are also available for physical ticket purchases for the events held at the relevant venues at the ticket office of the competition area. Tickets for boccia competition are available now, while limited tickets for wheelchair users and their carers for the wheelchair fencing competition are also available.
The ticket offices at Kai Tak Station Square and Ma On Shan Sports Centre have come into operation. The ticket offices will run from 10am to 4pm on non-competition days and will operate one hour before the event starts on event days until ticket verification ceases for that day's event (i.e. 30 minutes before the scheduled finish time). Tickets are sold at Hong Kong dollar prices and accept various electronic payment methods. Real-name registration for ticket sales is adopted and please prepare an identity document for ticket purchase and before entering the venue. Spectators who purchased tickets for their family members or friends using their own accounts via the official ticketing platform should transfer the tickets to their family members or friends 24 hours prior to the start of the relevant session. Each person should carry their own e-tickets to facilitate verification and multiple entries/exits.
Official franchised merchandise stores will be set up on-site at the two competition venues, selling a variety of franchised products with Hong Kong characteristics incorporated and related to the competition events. Members of the public are welcome to visit and make purchases.
Outside the competition venue, there will also be competition villages with various game booths, including digital interactive games, booth games and art workshops themed around the competition events hosted by Hong Kong competition region. The competition villages for both boccia and wheelchair fencing events will be open on December 13 and 14 from 10am to 5pm. Members of the public are welcome to try the games and purchase tickets to watch the competitions, and cheer for athletes in person.
Source: AI-found images
