The Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail resumed operation this Sunday (15th). The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Lam Sai-hung, made the latest announcement this afternoon (17th). Today, it was unanimously agreed to increase the number of daily tickets available for sale again. Starting tomorrow (18th), the daily two-way tickets will be increased from the current 14,000 to 20,000.
In terms of the epidemic situation, the number of new crown virus cases in Hong Kong continued to fall. The Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health announced that there were 3,843 new confirmed cases today, which further dropped to the "3 prefix", and 46 new patients died.
Summary of today's epidemic situation:
-An increase of 3,843 confirmed cases, a decrease of 17.41% from yesterday.
- There were 99 imported cases, accounting for 2.58% of the total cases.
- 46 new patients died, the 7-day average mortality rate was 0.869%, the overall mortality rate remained at 0.45%, and the cumulative death toll was 12.909.
-3 local cases with new mutant virus strains increased by 3, respectively 2 cases of XBB and 1 case of XBB1.5, and a total of 185 cases of XBB were found (including three cases of XBB1.5)
epidemic.
1.16｜High-speed rail ticket quota increased to 14,000 on Tuesday. The number of confirmed cases in a single day is less than 5,000
The immediate effective reproductive rate of local cases compiled by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong has dropped to 0.67, and the rate of decline has slowed down.
(Photo from HKU Faculty of Medicine)
▼On January 17, there was a long queue at the MacPherson Testing Station in Mong Kok▼
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The Education Bureau announced that teachers and students will maintain the daily pre-school quick test after the New Year holiday until February 28
[20:35] The Education Bureau pointed out to schools that starting from February, secondary schools, primary schools and kindergartens will gradually resume full-time face-to-face classes in an orderly manner. After considering the relevant situation, including the flow of people and activities during the Lunar New Year holiday, in order to reduce the risk of transmission, education The Bureau has decided to continue to maintain the requirements for staff and students (including secondary schools, primary schools, kindergartens, and special schools) to take body temperature and complete a quick test before returning to school. Until February 28, the Education Bureau will continue to review the situation and make an announcement in due course s arrangement.
▼On January 17, there was a long queue at the Tsuen Wan Park Testing Station▼
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Customs clearance｜A large number of citizens rushed to report at the end of the year and reported that more than 100 people at the Beishang testing station were waiting for testing at their own expense
【18:48】The Lunar New Year is approaching, Hong Kong and the mainland have cleared customs, and the high-speed rail announced today (17th) that fares will be increased. Many citizens look forward to returning to their hometowns to reunite with relatives and friends for the festival.
Since returning to the mainland still requires a negative nucleic acid test result within 48 hours, there have been long queues at testing stations in many regions since the afternoon of this year, waiting for self-funded testing.
Among them, at the testing station in the Tsuen Wan Town Hall, more than 100 people queued up for self-paid testing, and the waiting time was as long as 45 minutes. At the same time, there were about 20 to 30 people waiting for the report.
▼On January 17, more than 100 people lined up at the Tsuen Wan Town Hall Testing Station▼
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▼On January 16, the "Red Luck Dangtou" archway will be set up at the New Year's Eve Flower Market in Victoria Park▼
▼On January 16, the Victoria Park Lunar New Year Flower Market kicked off▼
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▼15 Lunar New Year Fairs▼
High-speed rail reopening｜Two-way tickets will be increased to 20,000 starting Wednesday
[17:35] The Transport and Logistics Bureau stated on the Facebook page that since the resumption of services at the West Kowloon Port of the High Speed Rail and the Hong Kong Section of the High Speed Rail, the operation of the West Kowloon Port has been generally smooth. After reviewing the port operations and ticket sales for the first two days, it was unanimously agreed today to increase the daily number of tickets available for sale.
Starting tomorrow, the number of daily two-way tickets will increase from the current 14,000 to 20,000.
Secretary Lin Shixiong said that the demand for high-speed rail tickets before the Lunar New Year is very strong. After the coordination of relevant departments in Hong Kong and the Mainland, he is very happy to adjust the number of tickets available for sale again. He has instructed MTR to prepare for the increase in passenger volume, and Improve the travel experience of citizens.
9 housing estates including Lai King Cui Yao Court and Ngau Chi Wan Xiao Fai Garden have positive sewage. The government calls for 35,000 people to test quickly
[16:59] The government announced today (17th) that many residential buildings in Tai Po District, Wong Tai Sin District and Kwai Tsing District, including Xiaohui Garden, Haifeng Garden, Tsui Yao Court, Huayuan Village and Changkeng Village, etc. The result was positive, and the virus load was relatively high, indicating that there may be recessive patients. The government will gradually distribute a total of about 35,000 rapid antigen test kits to residents, local cleaning staff, and property management staff for self-testing.
▼Ocean Park Announces Lunar New Year Activities on January 16▼
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Epidemic in Hong Kong｜3,843 confirmed cases hit a three-month low in Shatian women infected with XBB1.5 virus strain
[16:15] The new crown pneumonia epidemic continued to decline. Today (17th) there were 3,843 new confirmed cases in Hong Kong, a new low in the past three months since October 6 last year, and a decrease of 17.4% from yesterday.
In addition, today there is one more local case infected with the XBB1.5 virus strain, a 47-year-old woman who lives in Sha Tin and has received three doses of the vaccine.
In addition, 46 more patients died, three of whom died in Sanatorium and Hospital, and the rest died in public hospitals.
The seven-day average death toll fell back to 61, while the seven-day average death rate rose slightly to 0.869%, a new high since May 13, and the cumulative death toll was 12,909.
Research by the Federation of Social Services reveals that under the epidemic situation, it is difficult for people with low education to find a job and their income fell by 7.7%
[15:43] The Hong Kong Council of Social Service asked people who were unemployed during the epidemic to find a job. The study found that it is more difficult for respondents with a lower education level to find a job union, even if the income of the new job after re-employment The level also fell by an average of 7.7%.
The HKCSS recommends that the government create suitable jobs for people with low educational backgrounds, provide them with more jobs with promotion ladders and improve their remuneration packages.
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Year-end of the Immigration Department | Last year, 5.3 million people entered and exited the country and issued 610,000 passports to a new high
[15:40] The Immigration Department held the 2022 year-end press conference today (17th). Director of the Immigration Department, Au Jiahong, pointed out that the total number of entries and exits in 2022 will be 5.3 million, an increase of 1.7 times compared with 2021. There were 600,000 Hong Kong tourists, an increase of 5.6 times.
As the epidemic slows down and citizens travel more, the Immigration Department issued a total of more than 610,000 passports last year, with an average of 100,000 applications per month from October to December, a record high.
On January 17, the Immigration Department held a 2022 year-end press conference.
(Photo by Kong Fanxu)
Guangzhou Hospital only tests nucleic acid for emergencies
[15:24] The first phase of customs clearance between Hong Kong and the Mainland has lasted for more than a week. Deng Jiabiao, a member of the Legislative Council of the Federation of Trade Unions, said today (17th) that he received many requests for help from Hong Kong people who went north to Hong Kong, saying that it was difficult to find nucleic acid testing services in the Mainland, and failed to obtain A negative result is required to meet the return requirement.
Deng Jiabiao urged the government to allow Hong Kong people returning to Hong Kong to use rapid tests instead of nucleic acid tests before the Lunar New Year, otherwise it will cause chaos.
High-speed rail reopening｜Two-way tickets increased by 4,000 Citizens: Add more flights so that someone can take the opportunity to change tickets
[15:11] After the resumption of operation of the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail, passenger demand is strong. From today (17th), the number of tickets available for sale in both directions increased by 40% to 14,000 from 10,000 per day.
I saw at the West Kowloon High Speed Rail Station in the morning that some citizens who planned to return home to visit their relatives had planned to buy high-speed rail tickets before, but failed to do so. Due to the increase in the number of tickets, I came to change the ticket, and changed the early flight back to the mainland.
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▼January 15 Guangzhou East Railway Station facilities direct view▼
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[15:01] The government announced the extension of the special plan for outreach vaccination services in residential care homes for another four weeks to mid-February. Give the fourth dose of vaccine at least 90 days after the third dose.
In this regard, the government launched a new round of outreach vaccination service special plan on November 25 last year, and then extended the special plan for four weeks to January 20 this year, in order to expedite the promotion of vaccines for residents of residential care homes The vaccination rate will be strengthened to strengthen the protective barriers of the residential care homes. Considering that the residential care homes may carry out more activities during the Lunar New Year period, the protective power of the vaccine will fade over time, and there are still confirmed cases of residents and staff in the residential care homes from time to time. With the continuous threat of the flu peak in last winter, it is necessary to continue to increase the vaccination rate of residents in residential care homes.
Therefore, the Government has extended the special program on outreach vaccination services for residential care homes for another four weeks to February 17.
As with the current arrangement, the medical team will visit the homes at least once a week to provide outreach vaccination services for every resident who is due to receive the new crown vaccine, especially the fourth dose.
In addition, the medical team will also vaccinate residents against seasonal influenza at the same time to provide double protection.
The tourism industry often encounters a shortage of manpower. The Federation of Trade Unions advocates a special allowance of 3,000 yuan per month to attract talents to enter the industry.
[14:57] With the customs clearance with the mainland, many industries in Hong Kong should benefit. However, the Rights and Interests Committee of the Federation of Trade Unions pointed out today (17th) that industries such as tourism, aviation, and cross-border shipping are facing shortages of manpower. To solve these problems, the government urged the government to set up a "return to normal allowance" to provide tourism practitioners with a subsidy of 3,000 yuan per month for half a year, so as to attract workers to return to the industry.
The Year of the Rabbit｜Flowers at the Flower Market, people buy more than 2,000 yuan of New Year’s flowers, lamenting the inconvenience of parking and shopping due to traffic control
【13:58】The Lunar New Year is approaching. The police will implement special traffic arrangements around Fa Hui Road in Mong Kok from 8:00 am today (17th) until 8:00 am on 22nd (New Year's Day).
Mong Kok Flower Market began to see a lot of people at 10:00 this morning. Many citizens brought carts to buy goods, indicating that because the epidemic situation has improved this year and the weather is still good, "everyone is happy" and will spend more budget than in previous years to buy New Year's flowers. , such as peach blossoms, gladiolus, etc., are expected to cost more than 2,000 yuan. Affected by the road closure, I can't park in front of the store to shop, and I feel inconvenient.
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Cathay Pacific flight attendant union cancels Wednesday's white-clothed rally and starts working on scheduled flights from Thursday, or it may be affected
[12:59] The Cathay Pacific flight attendant union is dissatisfied with the staffing arrangement of the management, and has repeatedly expressed demands to the management to improve staffing, increase labor, and improve salaries, and plans to hold a public meeting outside Cathay Pacific tomorrow (18th).
The union pointed out today (17th) that Cathay Pacific refused to allow the union to gather outside Cathay City, which made it impossible to obtain a letter of no objection from the police. In order to protect the safety of its members, the union had no choice but to cancel the relevant action.
However, the union pointed out that it began to work according to the rules on the 28th (19th) of the fourth year, and pointed out that it understands that the action may have a certain impact on the flight, and apologizes for this.
▼The first train to Guangzhou East arrived on January 15▼
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It is reported that the government intends to close the Yabo Respite Center to send shelters to Li Hui, who is worried that it is difficult to find staff to take care of him
[11:28] The square cabin hospital in Lok Ma Chau Loop has been in use for an indefinite period after its completion. It is reported that the government is considering closing ten temporary care centers for the elderly in Hong Kong, including the AsiaWorld-Expo, and transferring the elderly who need temporary care to The shelter hospitals are concentrated in the Lok Ma Chau Hetao shelter hospital for isolation.
Li Huijin, a member of the Elderly Affairs Committee, said that with the return to normal in Hong Kong, it is believed that the historical mission of the community elderly respite center will come to an end, and the AWE and various gymnasiums in the region will be returned to the society.
Li Hui believes that if the temporary care center for the elderly needs to be relocated, "of course, the closer the better." She believes that the elderly or their family members also prefer the Penny's Bay isolation facility which is closer, but if they finally need to "settle down" in the Lok Ma Chau Loop Square cabin hospitals may not be easy to recruit.
Li Jiachao hopes to cancel the mask order within this year, saying that there will be surprises in customs clearance: all problems will be solved in the first season
[10:16] Hong Kong and the mainland resumed customs clearance at the beginning of the month, and the Hong Kong section of the high-speed rail also resumed operation the day before yesterday (15th). The society expects Hong Kong to move further towards normalcy.
Chief Executive Lee Ka-chao said in an exclusive interview with a newspaper today that the opening of the first stage of customs clearance was safe, orderly, and smooth, which met expectations. He said that he was very anxious to start the second stage as soon as possible: "The public will not be disappointed, and I can give you a little more surprise." After customs clearance, Li Jiachao expressed his hope that all epidemic prevention restrictions, including the mask order, would be lifted within this year, and he threatened to solve all problems in the first quarter of this year. Blind rush.
▼The high-speed rail Hong Kong section resumed operation on January 15▼
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Cathay Pacific cancels 50 round-trip flights to and from Japan in early February
[00:12] After HK Express canceled some Japanese flights in early February, Cathay Pacific announced late on Monday (16th) that due to the Japanese government's restrictions on the number of flights from Hong Kong to Japan for each airline, Cathay Pacific The airline will cancel some flights to and from Hong Kong and Japan from February 3 to 16, involving Tokyo Narita International Airport, Osaka Kansai International Airport, Nagoya Chubu International Airport and Fukuoka Airport, a total of 50 flights to and from Japan.
▼Cathay Pacific Airlines canceled Japan flights from February 3 to 16▼
▼January 13, the high-speed rail ticket sales resumed on the second day, and the ticket purchases were greatly reduced▼
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Daily two-way tickets for the high-speed rail increased to 14,000 from Tuesday MTR Mingjing sold through various channels Epidemic｜The number of confirmed cases in a single day dropped below 5,000 Set up face recognition to capture appearance MTR: will delete immediately Sewage from 7 sites including Ming Tak Village and Yuen Long Emperor Court were found to be positive. The government sent 35,000 quick test kits for the New Year’s Eve｜Huang Ren students from Nanfeng Spinning Mill put up stalls for Secondary 5 students: Precious middle school memories, hard work is worth the Year of the Rabbit ｜Ocean Park has Baby Shark to celebrate the New Year and dance to celebrate the New Year. The park will resume passenger capacity when the park confirms the need. HK Express cancels some flights to and from Japan from February 1 to 16, saying that Japan restricts Hong Kong and Macau from quarantine clearance｜The number of Hong Kong people entering Macau has more than doubled. Regional prospective tourists set off fireworks to clear customs｜The number of land routes has increased to 65,000. Social associations hope to postpone until the Lunar New Year to promote more customs clearance in the retail industry｜The first cruise ship will return to Hong Kong in March, and it is expected to launch a two- to three-night public sea tour itinerary every week. Citizens rush to buy 1-meter-tall peach blossoms to worship Buddha "A thousand mosquitoes won't make it to the palace" Airport passenger traffic reached 1.6 million in December last year compared to the same period in 2021 Hong Kong snap up
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