LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 November 2014 1443 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 5 November 2014 The Council met at Eleven o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, B.B.S., M.H. PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P., Ph.D., R.N. 1444 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 November 2014 THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAM TAI-FAI, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KA-LAU THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, S.B.S. THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE WONG YUK-MAN THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 November 2014 1445 THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NG LEUNG-SING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING THE HONOURABLE GARY FAN KWOK-WAI THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KENNETH CHAN KA-LOK THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG 1446 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 November 2014 THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. THE HONOURABLE TANG KA-PIU, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHUNG SHU-KUN, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN, B.B.S. MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-CHE THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 November 2014 1447 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE MRS CARRIE LAM CHENG YUET-NGOR, G.B.S., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE RIMSKY YUEN KWOK-KEUNG, S.C., J.P. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE MR JAMES HENRY LAU JR., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE LAI TUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., I.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY DR THE HONOURABLE KO WING-MAN, B.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MISS FLORA TAI YIN-PING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 1448 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 November 2014 PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Will the Clerk please ring the bell to summon Members to the Chamber. (After the summoning bell had been rung, a number of Members entered the Chamber) TABLING OF PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table under Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instrument L.N. No. Aerial Ropeways (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2014 ................................................................. 131/2014 Other Paper No. 23 ─ Consumer Council Annual Report 2013-14 ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. Withstanding Onslaught of Perfect Storm 1. MR PAUL TSE (in Cantonese): President, it has been reported that New York City had its first confirmed case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) infection on the 23rd of last month. Since the patient had patronized restaurants and a bowling alley and had travelled on subway lines during the incubation period of the virus, the authorities concerned had to embark on a large-scale exercise to track down people who might have been infected. With the risk of an EVD outbreak continuing to increase, the media have pointed out that a "perfect LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 November 2014 1449 storm" is brewing amid the impending EVD outbreak, emerging impacts of the Occupy Central movement, sky-high property prices which refuse to go down and gloomy global economic outlook, and so on, which may inflict a severe onslaught on Hong Kong's economy and people's livelihood. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) given that the arrival screenings at New York City have failed to stop the spread of EVD to the United States, whether the Hong Kong Government has assessed if the arrival screenings in Hong Kong are able to prevent the importation of EVD into the territory, and whether it will consider taking more stringent preventive measures; if such assessment has been made, of the details; (2) under the situation that some EVD patients are found to have travelled on modes of public transportation such as MTR, buses and trams, and so on, in Hong Kong and/or roamed areas with a heavy flow of people, what contingency measures the authorities have in place to track down or even quarantine a large number of people who may have been infected without causing any public panic; and (3) what contingency policies are available to withstand the severe onslaught of the aforesaid "perfect storm" on Hong Kong's economy and people's livelihood? SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH (in Cantonese): President, EVD is caused by infection with Ebola virus. It is a severe acute viral illness, often characterized by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. EVD is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected animals. It then spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected people, and contact with environments contaminated with such fluids. 1450 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 5 November 2014 We have been monitoring the latest current EVD outbreak in West Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on 31 October 2014 that there have been 13 567 cases, including 4 951 deaths, in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Spain and the United States. The latest case fatality rate is about 36.5%. Besides, the WHO also reported that there have been 66 EVD cases, including 49 deaths, in the Equateur Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but these cases are not connected with the EVD outbreak in West Africa. As at 3 November this year, the EVD affected countries include Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the Equateur Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The WHO convened two emergency meetings on EVD under the International Health Regulations in August and September 2014. The WHO declared on 8 August 2014 the EVD outbreak in West Africa a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and a series of pertinent measures are recommended. Hong Kong has also established an effective and comprehensive disease prevention and response system. To enhance the effectiveness of response to possible risks of EVD as well as to strengthen the handling capacity when a confirmed case of EVD is found in Hong Kong, the Government announced the "Preparedness and Response Plan for Ebola Virus Disease" (the EVD Plan) on 20 August this year which sets out in detail the Government's preparedness and response plan for the disease. Against the above background, my reply to the three parts of the question is as follows: (1) Regarding the measures to prevent the importation of EVD, we would like to reiterate that due to extensive international travel, the risk of importation of EVD cases into Hong Kong does exist. One of the key measures recommended by the WHO is for the EVD affected countries to implement stringent exit health check to ensure that the outbound travellers are free of EVD symptoms.