Members of the public can now apply for an International Driving Permit (IDP) through an online service launched today by the Transport Department. Users of “iAM Smart+” or eligible applicants holding a valid personal digital certificate may apply online via the GovHK website and receive their IDP by post, without the need to visit a licensing office in person. If the submitted documents and photograph are in order, the department will normally send successful applicants their IDP by registered post within 10 working days of the online application being made. The department reminded those who plan to drive outside of Hong Kong to allow sufficient time for the IDP applications to be processed. Citizens may continue to submit IDP applications by visiting licensing offices in person. Appointments can be booked online or by calling 3763 8080 to save queuing time. Drivers may also send in their IDP applications by post or via the drop-in boxes placed at licensi
The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 33 additional COVID-19 cases, comprising 27 imported cases, five that are epidemiologically linked with imported cases and one possibly imported-related case.
The centre noted that the possibly import-related case is a 39-year-old woman who is a part-time cabin cleaning worker.
Centre for Health Protection Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said at a press conference this afternoon that more than 10 positive cases were detected on passenger flight CX845 which the woman cleaned on January 4.
The centre will conduct analysis of the whole genome sequencing with the patient’s sample to identify the linkage of previous imported cases.
Meanwhile, the centre detected more than 20 preliminary positive cases today.
One of them lives in Mei Sun Building in Tai Po, where three cases tested positive earlier. These cases involve units D at two different floors.
The centre co-ordinated with related government departments and experts to conduct a site inspection today to the concerned floors and units of the building to investigate and examine if environmental factors were involved in the infection of the case which tested preliminarily positive.
It has also collected environmental samples from the units concerned. For the sake of prudence, the Department of Health will issue quarantine orders to asymptomatic residents of unit D on the 6th floor to the 24th floor of Mei Sun Building and transfer them to a quarantine facility while symptomatic residents will be sent to the hospital for treatment.
The Government also made a restriction-testing declaration again for Mei Sun Building tonight.
Also, due to the detection of other preliminary positive cases, the Government made restriction-testing declarations covering Tower 8, Aegean Coast in Tuen Mun and Tower 2, Harbour Green in Tai Kok Tsui.
People within these specified restricted areas are required to undergo compulsory testing.
The preliminary positive case who lives in Harbour Green involves a 43-year-old woman. She had a meal with a confirmed case detected earlier before attending a large-scale birthday banquet at Reserva Ibérica Tapas Bar & Restaurant in Wan Chai together on January 3.
She has been asymptomatic and has received two doses of Sinovac vaccination.
The other one living in Aegean Coast involves a 20-year-old female patient. She worked as a part-time salesperson at the SOGO Causeway Bay Store and she last went to work on December 28, 2021.
The centre said it has so far not found any close contacts between the case and other recent cases tested positive, adding that it is investigating the places where the patient visited in the past 21 days to ascertain the infection source and to terminate the silent transmission chains in the community.
For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.
http://dlvr.it/SGpfzw
http://dlvr.it/SGpfzw