HKO and SCHSA Advise Public to Prepare for Extreme Hot Weather this Summer

HKO and SCHSA advise public to prepare for very hot weather in summer

The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) and the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (SCHSA) held a joint press conference today (May 28) to speak on the very hot weather and the latest developments of El Niño, and to advise the public to prepare for the very hot weather in summer.

The Acting Assistant Director of the HKO, Mr Choy Chun-wing, said, "Hong Kong's weather has been persistently very hot over the past couple of days. Temperatures over many places rose to around 35 degrees this afternoon. Under the influence of an anticyclone aloft, it is expected that high temperatures will continue tomorrow (May 29) with extremely hot weather during the day. The maximum temperature in urban areas will rise to 35 degrees, while temperatures in the New Territories could reach 36 to 37 degrees. Members of the public should take adequate protective measures against the heat."

He further explained, "Since high temperatures may trigger convective development, there will be a few showers with isolated squally thunderstorms later tomorrow. A trough of low pressure is expected to bring showers and thunderstorms to the coast of southern China later tomorrow and on Saturday (May 30). There will still be a few showers on Sunday (May 31). Members of the public should beware of the change in weather. Under the influence of an easterly airstream and showers, high temperatures weather will be alleviated over the weekend."

Mr Choy further elaborated on the latest developments of El Niño, explaining that the sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific are expected to continue rising and that an El Niño event will develop during summer and autumn. The event is forecast to persist at least until the end of this year or early next year, reaching moderate intensity or above, or potentially stronger, and the probability of a strong El Niño event is gradually rising. A stronger El Niño event typically increases the likelihood of above normal temperatures over different regions of the world. Therefore, under the combined effect of climate warming and a stronger El Niño, Hong Kong is expected to be hotter than normal this year and next year, with a significantly higher annual mean temperature. There will be a high chance of reaching the warmest top 10 on record this year. For this summer, the HKO expects that the mean temperature will be above normal. Members of the public are advised to prepare for the very hot weather in summer. Those who are more vulnerable to heat stroke should pay special attention to prevent discomfort caused by the heat.

The Chief Executive Officer of the SCHSA, Ms Maura Wong, said, "The elderly are more prone to heat exhaustion and heat stroke during the height of summer. In 2024, the Association conducted a telephone survey, which found that, on average, nearly one in four elderly persons had felt unwell due to the heat, experiencing symptoms such as dizziness and breathing difficulties. Last summer alone, the Association handled more than 7 700 emergency assistance cases requiring hospitalisation. The Association urges the elderly to take precautions against the heat during the height of summer, and carers should also take a more proactive role in looking after the elderly by providing timely care and support."

For more information on protection against the heat, please visit the following websites:

• The HKO on precautions of the Very Hot Weather Warning (www.hko.gov.hk/en/wservice/warning/coldhot.htm);

• The Department of Health "Beware of Heat Stroke" (www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/90064.html);

• The Labour Department "Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work"(www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/prevention_of_heat_stroke_at_work.htm); and

• The Home Affairs Department on temporary heat shelters (www.had.gov.hk/en/public_services/emergency_services/emergency.htm).

The Acting Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Mr Choy Chun-wing (left), and the Chief Executive Officer of the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association, Ms Maura Wong (right), held a joint press conference today (May 28) to advise the public to prepare for the very hot weather in summer. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CFS urges public not to consume batch of powdered infant formula found with lead possibly exceeding limit

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 25) urged the public not to consume a batch of powdered infant formula, as the product was found by the Macao authority with lead possibly exceeding its permissible levels. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Frisolac Prestige Stage 1 Infant Formula (800g)

Brand: FRISO PRESTIGE

Place of origin: Netherlands

Net weight: 800 grams

Best-before date: September 30, 2027

Batch number: 1W07KPJ

Importer: FrieslandCampina (Hong Kong) Ltd

A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS noted a press release issued by the Macao authority this afternoon that the above-mentioned powdered infant formula was detected with lead content exceeding its permissible levels, while no abnormalities have been found in other batches of the relevant powdered infant formula so far. The CFS immediately followed up on the incident and contacted the importer concerned. Preliminary investigation by the CFS confirmed that the above-mentioned importer had imported the affected batch of the product into Hong Kong. The importer concerned has also arranged testing on two samples of the same batch, and the results showed that they complied with the standards of Hong Kong and Macao. For the sake of prudence, the importer concerned has already stopped sales and removed the affected product from shelves, and the CFS has instructed the importer to initiate a recall of the affected batch of product. Members of the public may call the distributor's hotline at 2280 4731 during office hours for enquiries about the recall."

The spokesman added that the CFS is stepping up the surveillance of powdered infant and young children formula in the market and will continue to closely monitor the recall of the related product to fully safeguard food safety.

The CFS has been collecting powdered infant and young children formula samples from local retail outlets for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme to safeguard the health and food safety of infants and young children. From 2023 to June 2026, the CFS has collected over 2 000 powdered infant and young children formula samples from the market for chemical and microbiological testing, including lead content tests. No unsatisfactory samples for lead content were found. The spokesman added that long term excessive exposure to lead in children can lead to neurological impairment and affect brain development.

The CFS urged members of the public not to let infants and young children consume the affected batch of the product, and to seek medical treatment for infants or young children who felt unwell after taking the product concerned. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately. The CFS has alerted the trade and relevant departments to the incident, and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action.

Source: AI-found images