CHP investigates suspected case of paralytic shellfish poisoning
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 22) investigating a suspected case of paralytic shellfish poisoning, involving two members of the same family.
The case involves two males, one aged 57 and the other aged 17. Their family member bought whelk from a seafood store in Causeway Bay and cooked it at home yesterday (June 21). About 30 minutes after eating it, they developed dizziness, generalised weakness in their limbs, blurred vision, diplopia, facial numbness on one side and vertigo. Both patients attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Ruttonjee Hospital on the same day. The 57-year-old patient was discharged after receiving treatment, while the 17-year-old patient was transferred to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment. He remains hospitalised and is in stable condition.
Preliminary investigation revealed that both patients had consumed whelk, including its organs, and they are suspected of poisoning as a result. The CHP has referred the case to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for follow-up. The CHP's investigation is ongoing.
Paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin is a natural toxin sometimes found in bivalve shellfish. It is heat-stable and cannot be destroyed through cooking.
The symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning are predominantly neurological, and the onset is usually within minutes to hours after ingestion of the shellfish. Initial symptoms may include tingling, numbness of the mouth and extremities, a headache, dizziness and gastrointestinal discomfort. In the majority of cases, symptoms are resolved completely within a few days. In severe cases, difficulty in swallowing and speech, paralysis with respiratory arrest and even death may occur.
Members of the public should seek medical advice immediately if they develop shellfish poisoning symptoms, and save any leftovers for investigation and laboratory testing.
To reduce the risk of shellfish poisoning, the public should:
- Buy shellfish from reliable and licensed seafood shops;
- Remove the viscera, gonads and roe before cooking and discard any cooking liquid before consumption;
- Eat a smaller amount of shellfish in any one meal; and
- When symptoms occur after consuming shellfish, seek medical advice immediately.
Source: AI-found images
High-Level Meeting and Fifth Plenary Session of Hong Kong-Fujian Cooperation Conference held in Fuzhou
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, and the Secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, Mr Zhou Zuyi, leading the delegations of the governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Fujian respectively, held the High-Level Meeting and the Fifth Plenary Session of the Hong Kong-Fujian Cooperation Conference (meeting-and-plenary)in Fuzhou, Fujian, today (June 22). The Director of Bureau III of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Zou Jinsong, also attended the meeting-and-plenary.
Officials of the HKSAR Government that attended the meeting-and-plenary included the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Miss Janice Tse Siu-wa; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui; the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law; the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip; the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan; and the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Sze Chun-fai.
Hong Kong and Fujian reached a consensus on the following 11 co-operation areas at the meeting-and-plenary:
Finance
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Support relevant financial institutions in Fujian and Hong Kong to conduct policy training and publicity activities, and assist more eligible Fujian enterprises in listing and issuing bonds in Hong Kong. Promote precise cross-border capital alignment with Fujian's key industries, and help Fujian enterprises broaden their cross-border investment and financing channels.
Civil Aviation, Maritime Transport and Logistics
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Jointly establish safe and efficient international logistics corridors that connect both the Chinese Mainland and the world by strengthening port and airport cooperation between Fujian and Hong Kong. Enhance connectivity between ports and their hinterland, support Hong Kong enterprises' investment in port projects in Fujian, and promote intermodal transport modes including "water-to-water transshipment" and "sea-rail transshipment".
Economic, Trade and Investment
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Leverage the roles of platforms including the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Globalof the HKSAR Government and the "Fujian Enterprises Going Global" Professional Services Alliance of the Fujian Province to support Fujian enterprises to go global by making good use of the advantages of Hong Kong professional services.
Support relevant authorities or organisations in Hong Kong and Fujian to strengthen co-ordination, thereby recommending Hong Kong professional service providers to Fujian enterprises seeking to establish a presence in Hong Kong, and providing services such as company registration, fund raising, tax compliance, trademarks and patents, legal consultation, brand building, etc.
Innovation and Technology
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Explore co-operation in areas such as artificial intelligence applications and governance, cross-boundary data flow, digital technology research and development, as well as digital scenario applications.
Continuously promote services for the commercialisation of science and technology (S&T) outcomes with reference to the advanced models of professional services (including technology transfer, testing and certification, intellectual property, investment and financing, and legal services) in Hong Kong; encourage research institutions in the two places to explore establishing a mechanism between Fujian and Hong Kong for facilitating the commercialisation of S&T outcomes.
Legal and Dispute Resolution
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Enhance the full-chain support for cross-border legal services and support the provision of comprehensive legal and dispute resolution services for Fujian and Hong Kong enterprises to go global.
Cultural Exchange
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Facilitate close collaboration between Fujian and Hong Kong on such fronts as nurturing of performing arts talents, creation of fine productions, arts promotion, and mutual visits, exchanges and performances. Jointly pursue the inheritance of the fine traditions of Chinese culture through supporting and promoting relevant organisations to host cultural performances and exhibitions on intangible cultural heritage, and encouraging publishers of Fujian to participate in the Hong Kong Book Fair.
Education
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Encourage and support the joint provision of education services by higher education institutions of the two places. Continue to encourage and assist more secondary and primary schools in the two places to form sister school pairs, and support them in conducting diversified school-based exchange activities in different areas.
Youth Development
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Strengthen two-way exchanges and visits between young people from Fujian and Hong Kong, and effectively take forward programmes such as the Youth Internship Programme at Wuyishan on Biodiversity Conservation.
Continue to enhance and expand the various flagship youth exchange and internship programmes, and organise more Hong Kong youth to undertake internships and participate in exchange activities in Fujian.
Health and Chinese medicine
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Deepen exchange and co-operation between Hong Kong and Fujian in areas such as Chinese medicine (CM) healthcare services, talent cultivation, scientific research and academic exchange, to promote the comprehensive development of CM in both places, and jointly explore international markets.
Tourism
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Support the Department of Culture and Tourism of Fujian Province and the Hong Kong tourism authorities in jointly leveraging the tourism resources of both regions, developing Fujian-Hong Kong multi-destination travel itineraries, and facilitating the two-way flow of visitors.
Facilitation measures for Hong Kong people on the Mainland
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Expand the scope of application of the Mainland Travel Permits for Hong Kong and Macao Residents to facilitate the living and development of Hong Kong people and enterprises in Fujian.
Co-operation memorandum signing ceremony
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At the meeting-and-plenary, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, and Vice Governor of the Fujian Provincial People's Government Mr Zhao Zenglian signed the Co-operation Memorandum of the High-Level Meeting and the Fifth Plenary Session of the Hong Kong-Fujian Cooperation Conference. The document (Chinese only) is in Annex 1.
In addition, six co-operation agreements were signed by government departments and statutory bodies of the two places:
- Agreement on Expanding Cultural and Tourism Exchanges and Co-operation between Fujian and Hong Kong;
- Agreement on Deepening Youth Exchanges and Co-operation between Fujian and Hong Kong;
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Fujian Provincial People's Government and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited;
- Co-operation Agreement on Promoting the International Expansion of Fujian Enterprises;
- Memorandum of Understanding by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Fuyao University of Science and Technology; and
- Collaboration Agreement on Jointly Establishing the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Fuzhou) Technology Transfer and Commercialisation Center.
The co-operation agreements (i) and (ii) signed by the government departments of the two places (Chinese only) are in Annexes 2 and 3.
Source: AI-found images
