XN000022-1992-03-17 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1992

IN

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FINANCIAL SECRETARY ON HSBC HOLDINGS ANNOUNCEMENT

RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT ISSUED TODAY (TUESDAY) BY HSBC HOLDINGS, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID:

"THE HSBC GROUP HAS LONG BEEN LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND ITS OPERATIONS INTO EUROPE. HSBC HOLDINGS ALREADY HAS A CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH THE MIDLAND BANK, OF WHICH IT IS THE LARGEST SINGLE SHAREHOLDER."

"THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI BANK WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY ITS IMPORTANT ROLE WITHIN HONG KONG'S FINANCIAL SYSTEM."

A

"THE DETAILS OF THIS MATTER ARE FIRSTLY FOR THE COMPANIES INVOLVED AND THEIR SHAREHOLDERS. BUT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS CONTINUING STRONG INTEREST IN THE HONG KONG & SHANGHAI BANK REMAINING A HEALTHY DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL BANK."

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SHARP RISE IN HEPATITIS A CASES

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THERE HAS BEEN A SHARP INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HEPATITIS A CASES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT SO FAR THIS YEAR THERE WERE 503 CONFIRMED CASES OF HEPATITIS A, COMPARED WITH 242 CASES IN THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR.

IN ADDITION, 738 CASES OF VIRAL HEPATITIS ARE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. MAJORITY OF THESE ARE EXPECTED TO BE HEPATITIS A CASES.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPRESSED CONCERN AT THE UPWARD TREND OF THE

DISEASE.

HE SAID PEOPLE MUST NOW, AS ALWAYS, EXERCISE CAUTION IN THEIR EATING HABITS.

AS HEPATITIS A IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE CONSUMPTION OF CONTAMINATED FOOD, PARTICULARLY POLLUTED SHELLFISH, HE ADVISED THE PUBLIC THAT ALL FOOD SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY WASHED AND COOKED BEFORE EATING.

"POLLUTED SHELLFISH AND OTHER FOOD WHICH ARE NOT PROPERLY COOKED SHOULD BE AVOIDED, HE ADDED.

"I

THE

CAN BE OBTAINED AT

HYGIENE DIVISION, FA YUEN STREET,

FLOOR, SOUTHORN

123A

COPIES OF A LEAFLET ON SHELLFISH HYGIENE THE DEPARTMENT'S HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT OF EIGHTH FLOOR, FA YUEN STREET UC COMPLEX, KOWLOON; THE CENTRAL HEALTH EDUCATION UNIT, SEVENTH CENTRE, 130 HENNESSY ROAD, WAN CHAI, AND REGIONAL DEPARTMENT.

OFFICES OF THE

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