Ngong 360 to raise cable car prices next month

Ngong Ping 360 will raise its cable car fees by up to 10 percent next month.

The company said yesterday that, beginning Dec 1, a one-way weekday ticket for adults will be HK$63 instead of the current HK$58, up 9 percent, and a roundtrip weekday adult ticket will rise from HK$88 to HK$96.

A "Journey of Enlightenment Package" ticket will cost HK$159, an increase of nearly 10 percent from the current HK$145. The cable car operator blamed rising operation costs of operation caused by inflation. The current fares were set five years ago.

2 girls with kidney stones released from hospital

The Centre for Health Protection has confirmed two cases of renal problems involving 4-year-old girls who had consumed melamine-tainted milk products and biscuits.

Their parents took them to the special assessment center at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for checkups in October. A girl from Tai Hang was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment of a renal stone on Oct 21, and she was discharged on Oct 29.

A girl from Wan Chai was admitted at the same hospital for a renal stone on Oct 29, and she was discharged Friday.

Preliminary designs of MTR expansion underway

The MTR Corporation is undertaking the preliminary design of the 7 km South Island Line (East), Secretary for Transport & Housing Eva Cheng said, adding that another round of public consultation will be conducted when the railway plan is gazetted in mid-2009.

The transport and housing chief told lawmakers yesterday that the line will be a medium-capacity railway between Admiralty and South Horizons, with three intermediate stations at Ocean Park, Wong Chuk Hang and Lei Tung Estate.

Kindergarten closes as virus spreads among class

A Wan Chai kindergarten has suspended classes for a week as five students have been hospitalized with adenovirus infections.

St Margaret Mary's Catholic Kindergarten has been closed for disinfection after 34 students aged 4 and 5 came down with fevers, sore throats and coughs starting Nov 3.

Five have been hospitalized and are stable, with one discharged. They tested positive for adenovirus - a group of viruses that commonly cause viral infections in children.

China Daily

(HK Edition 11/13/2008 page1)