The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (February 28) announced that in view of cases of COVID-19 found to be related, for prudence's sake, Sha Tin Market, Ngau Tau Kok Market, Wan Chai Market, Smithfield Market and Sai Ying Pun Market of the FEHD will be closed earlier today at 7pm, as well as all day tomorrow (March 1). Deep cleaning and disinfection will be conducted during the closure period so as to safeguard the health and safety of market stall tenants and the public.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "The FEHD has cleaned and disinfected the areas where the persons concerned work. During the deep cleaning and disinfection period, FEHD staff will also thoroughly clean and disinfect communal areas and facilities in the markets, and call for the co-operation of market tenants to conduct cleaning and disinfection at their respective stalls. In addition, the FEHD will arrange street cleaning and disinfection in the vicinity of the markets."

     The FEHD will maintain liaison with tenants of the markets, and ask them to go to community testing centres for free testing as soon as possible or to conduct testing by using rapid antigen test (RAT) kits, and obtain negative results before they return to the markets to work. If all goes well, the FEHD will reopen the markets concerned on March 2 (Wednesday) after the completion of the deep cleaning and disinfection work.

     In addition, since Tai Kiu Market, Hung Cheung Cooked Food Market, Wong Nai Chung Market, Shek Tong Tsui Market, Centre Street Market, Peng Chau Market, Yau Ma Tei Market and Kwun Chung Market were also found to be related to cases of COVID-19, the markets will also be closed earlier today at 7pm. Deep cleaning and disinfection in the areas where the persons concerned work, as well as the communal areas and facilities in the markets, will be conducted during the closure period. Also, the FEHD will call for the co-operation of market tenants to conduct cleaning and disinfection at their respective stalls, and arrange street cleaning and disinfection in the vicinity of the markets. If all goes well, the FEHD will reopen the markets tomorrow after the completion of the deep cleaning and disinfection work.

     The FEHD attaches importance to the hygiene conditions of public markets, cooked food markets (CFMs) and cooked food centres (CFCs), and has adopted the following measures in view of the epidemic situation:

* Stepped up regular cleaning and disinfection of communal areas and facilities in the markets, CFMs and CFCs, including toilets, escalators, elevators and stair handrails, with diluted household bleach regularly every day. Management service contractors also conduct thorough cleaning in all markets, CFMs and CFCs after the venues are closed every day. Also, the FEHD strongly appeals to the public to use the disinfectant hand sanitisers that are always provided in the markets, CFMs and CFCs;

* With the assistance offered by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, a check on air change in the FEHD's markets, CFMs and CFCs has been completed in 2021 and installation of air purifiers has been carried out according to needs, and the FEHD is now following up with the installation of ultraviolet-C sterilisers at escalator handrails, and arranging a special round of cleaning and disinfection of air-conditioning and exhaust systems at the FEHD's markets, CFMs and CFCs; and

* Apart from free testing on a regular basis that has been routinely made available to tenants of markets, CFMs and CFCs and licensed hawkers and registered assistants, etc, RAT kits have been delivered to them and stationed staff of management service contractors on a one-off basis for testing in case of need.
     
     "The FEHD will continue to closely monitor the situation of each market, CFM and CFC, and will take necessary follow-up action accordingly," the spokesman said.

Ends/Monday, February 28, 2022
Issued at HKT 18:55

NNNN