CHP announces one new melioidosis case
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (December 26) announced that one new melioidosis case was recorded in the past week (December 19 to 25). The CHP appealed to members of the public to maintain personal and environmental hygiene to prevent melioidosis. The CHP also specifically reminded high-risk groups, including the elderly and people with underlying diseases, to avoid contact with soil or muddy water after typhoons or storms with a view to lowering infection risk.
The case involves a 36-year-old male with underlying illnesses living in Eastern district. He presented with a localised skin swelling since December 13. He attended Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on December 17 for follow up of his underlying illnesses, during which pus discharge was found from his skin swelling. He was then admitted for antibiotics treatment, and is currently in stable condition. The clinical diagnosis was a skin abscess. His clinical sample was confirmed to be positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei upon testing.
The CHP is investigating the infection source of the case. Initial epidemiological investigations revealed that the case is sporadic. No epidemiological linkages have been established between this case and other confirmed cases previously recorded in Hong Kong.
As of yesterday (December 25), 21 melioidosis cases have been recorded in Hong Kong this year. In 2024, 23 melioidosis cases were recorded.
Person-to-person transmission and animal-to-human transmission are rare, but the bacteria causing melioidosis can survive in the local environment. Melioidosis is an endemic disease in Hong Kong, and melioidosis cases have been recorded in Hong Kong each year.
According to literature, melioidosis cases are more common after typhoons or rainstorms. The bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei in soil and muddy water may become exposed to the ground after typhoons or rainstorms, and the bacteria could spread more easily with strong winds or rainstorms. As such, the number of melioidosis cases may increase.
With this in mind, where practicable, members of the public should stay indoors during typhoons and rainstorms, avoid travelling to areas with potential flooding, and do not wade in or have contact with muddy water and soil. In addition, high-risk individuals should avoid paths near stormwater drains where aerosols may be generated from contaminated water.
Members of the public should also take the following preventive measures against infection:
Avoid contact with contaminated soil;
Wear appropriate protective clothing or footwear when participating in activities with possible contact with soil or water, e.g. using gloves and wearing boots. High-risk individuals may also consider wearing a surgical mask;
Wash or shower after exposure to contaminated water or soil;
Always clean any wounds as soon as possible and cover them with waterproof dressings;
Wash hands with liquid soap and water after handling soil or gardening;
Observe food hygiene and avoid drinking raw water; and
Travellers can contract the disease through outdoor water sports. Risk of infection can be minimised by avoiding exposure to water sources (such as rivers, ponds or lakes) that might be contaminated.
The CHP appealed to members of the public to seek medical advice if they develop symptoms, in particular people with diabetes or other immunocompromising conditions, in order to receive an appropriate medical diagnosis and treatment. For more information on melioidosis, please visit the website of the CHP atwww.chp.gov.hk/en/healthtopics/content/24/101110.html.
Source: AI-found images
Online ticket booking for "Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey" exhibition to start tomorrow
The "Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey" exhibition, presented by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, will open to the public at the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station on January 2, 2026. Standard ticket is at $30, concessionary ticket for students, elderly, Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients and people with disabilities is at $10 each, while admission of children aged six or below is for free.
Tickets are available online from 10am tomorrow (December 27) for visits from January 2 to 31, 2026. Through the online booking system (cultural.cityline.com/en/2026/ymtacinematicjourneyjan2026.html), visitors may book tickets for admission on a day in the coming 30 days; a maximum of four tickets is allowed per transaction. There is no ticket sale onsite. Each session lasts for 25 minutes. For better user experience, the maximum number of visitors for each session is capped at 20 persons.
The exhibition will open daily for the first two weeks (January 2 to 11) after inauguration, with extended opening hours from 9am to 10pm. Starting from January 12, normal opening hours will resume (see website), and the exhibition will be closed on Mondays (except public holidays).
The "Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey" is designed by local filmmakers with exceptional creativity. It allows visitors to experience firsthand the interior design, ambience, and iconic scenes of Hong Kong police and crime films inside a real police station, showcasing the unique creativity behind.
The Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, situated at 627 Canton Road, is a building in British Edwardian architectural style and a Grade‑2 historic building. The opening of the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station is one of the projects announced in May 2025 to be implemented by the Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots led by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration. CCIDA has revitalised the ground floor of the historic building and infused it with Hong Kong's classic police and crime film culture to stage the "Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey" exhibition, promoting film tourism and local film culture.
To coincide with the "Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey" exhibition, the Yau Tsim Mong District Office, in collaboration with the Yaumati Kaifong Welfare Advancement Association Limited, will organise the Yau Ma Tei Dining and Shopping Festival from January 1 to February 22. The festival aims to promote tourism in Yau Ma Tei by offering a wide range of dining and shopping discounts and offers. In addition to general discounts and offers, visitors who have visited the exhibition will also have exclusive special offers upon presentation of proof of their visit.
For further details of the "Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey" exhibition, please visit ymtps.ccidahk.gov.hk.
Photo source: ymtps.ccidahk.gov.hk
