More estates to enjoy WiFi services

Another information and technology service vendor will provide free WiFi services at 45 public rental housing estates, including 26 estates currently not covered, the Housing Authority said yesterday.

The new service will be phased in with the first batch of 10 estates starting today and the rest by August. By then free WiFi services will be available to tenants in almost all estates.

The existing service vendor offers free WiFi services at 120 estates at ground lift lobbies and adjoining external areas of housing blocks. The new service will be mainly in outdoor recreational areas.

Construction of equestrian venues to complete soon

Equestrian Company Chief Executive Officer WK Lam said yesterday in Beijing that construction of the venues of the 2008 Beijing Olympiad Equestrian Events in Hong Kong is about to finish and he expects the spectator stands at Sha Tin to be ready late next month.

As for the one in Sheung Shui, Lam said all construction works will be done by the end of July. He added that some 120 technical officials will be working on the Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong, while a number of international equestrian experts will be here as advisors.

CHP receives five reports of flu-like illness outbreaks

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said yesterday it received in the previous 24 hours five reports of influenza-like illness involving two secondary schools in Yuen Long and Sha Tin, a Sham Shui Po primary school, a Tsuen Wan kindergarten and an elderly home in Southern District, affecting 18 people.

The patients are 12 males and six females aged three to 86. Three elderly home residents tested positive for influenza B and two of them were admitted to Queen Mary Hospital. CHP staff members visited the institutions and provided health instructions.

Mechanical glitch delays through train services

About 1,500 people's travel plans went awry after a mechanical problem grounded a through train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong yesterday morning and forced the cancellations of two others from Hong Kong to Guangzhou later in the day.

The T823 through train, scheduled to leave Guangzhou at 9:55am, developed a mechanical glitch and was rescheduled to arrive in Hong Kong between 9pm and 10pm. The delay affected some 500 people directly and resulted in the cancellations of Guangzhou-bound T826 and T825 through trains.

China Daily

(HK Edition 04/17/2008 page1)