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August 18, 2022
hong kong The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is “actively discussing” with China the possibility of independent free travel, Chief Secretary Chan Kwokke said on Wednesday.
Chan made the announcement at a media briefing after attending an ante-chamber exchange meeting with members of the Legislative Council on Wednesday morning.
Chief Administrative Secretary Chan Kwokqi said the HKSAR government is working closely with the mainland to resolve the quarantine quota issue, adding that charter flights are one option to take the students to the mainland.
We have been actively discussing with the mainland authorities how to continue free travel between Hong Kong and the mainland, and I think we will make an announcement at the appropriate time.
During this exchange session, lawmakers Kitson Young Wing Keat and Scott Ling Man Kung expressed concern about Hong Kong students who could not go to the mainland in time to start their college studies due to a lack of independent quotas.
Many Hong Kong high school students enrolled in mainland universities have expressed fear that they will not be able to enter their universities in time for registration due to the limited number of lottery-based cross-border quotas.
A Hong Kong student who signed up to start his studies at Shanghai Jiao Tong University decided to turn down the offer after repeatedly failing to get a place in the quota system.
Responding to the issue, Chan said that H.Kesar’s government is working closely with the mainland to solve the quota problem and said charter flights are one option to bring students to the mainland.
However, as any plans to charter flights would be complicated and time-consuming, Yung suggested that the authorities provide additional cross-border quotas to help this group of students reach their universities on time.
According to the Deputy Chief Secretary of the Administration Chek Wing Hing said in the same media session, the government will also conduct a comprehensive review of the city’s sanitary and environmental sanitation and personal hygiene laws.
“We will see if the current laws are sufficient in terms of empowering the government departments to carry out their duties properly and also the adequacy of the punishment,” said Cheek. “We therefore take a comprehensive view and, if necessary, propose changes in existing laws or explore the possibility of enacting new laws.”
5,757 new cases were registered
Hong Kong has recorded 5,757 new cases of COVID-19, including 194 imported infections and 5,563 domestic cases, said Albert Au Ka-wing, chief medical and health officer of the Health Protection Center’s Communicable Disease Branch, in a separate press release.
Hong Kong recorded 5,757 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, including 194 imported infections, said Albert Au Ka-wing, chief medical and health officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s infectious disease branch.
He added that the death toll from the fifth wave has reached 9,371, with four new deaths.
“Since July, we have seen an upward trend… We were looking at 3,000-3,500 cases in July. “We were seeing 4,500 in late July or early August. Today, it’s up to 5,500,” he said.
Of the 194 imported cases, 89 were confirmed at the airport, 54 at quarantine hotels and 51 at community screening centers. More than 10 cases each came from Thailand, the United Kingdom, the United States, India and the Philippines. The rest are from 38 countries.
Four residences reported infections while 48 schools reported 74 cases. Three kindergartens and one elementary school suspended classes due to the disease.
Ou said 24.5 percent of the new cases were linked to the Omicron subvariant BA.5, while 7.4 percent were linked to BA.2.12.1.
Hospital Authority General Manager (Quality and Standards) Lau Ka-hin said in a statement that 1,875 Covid patients were being treated at public hospitals as of Wednesday, including 273 new patients. 32 are in critical condition, 10 are under intensive care, and 33 are in critical condition.
Lau said he was concerned about the increasing number of elderly patients, with 80 percent of admitted Covid patients aged 60 and over.
“The percentage is high. We request all elderly people to get vaccinated as soon as possible and complete the treatment,” he said.
More elderly patients
From August 1-14, 15,443 people aged 60 and over were diagnosed with Covid-19, which is more than the 12,898 elderly cases recorded from July 18-31.
Lau said the four patients who died included two men and two women aged between 52 and 96 years. Three of them have cancer and three have not completed their vaccination regimen.
Cancer patients and other seriously ill patients are urged to take their vaccinations to increase their immunity to the virus.
Chief Administrative Secretary Chan Kwokqi (first row, right), Legislative Council President Andrew Ling Kuan-yuen (first row, center) and Deputy Chief Administrative Secretary Chek Wing-hing (second row, third left) pose on Aug. 17, 2022, from Ant Chamber for a photo with LegCo members before an exchange session. (Photo/Haksar Government)
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