HONG KONG - Customs on Saturday (14/3/2020) arrested 4 people in charge of 4 pharmacies in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai, in connection with the sale of contaminated face masks.
Given the surge in demand for face masks in the midst of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, officers bought protective products from several different shops and sent 24 different brands to the laboratory for testing. “Officials said tests revealed the bacteria count in 4 face mask brands had exceeded the permitted level. One of the products had contaminants more than 10 times the acceptable limit, they said, "the Hong Kong public broadcaster Radio Television (RTHK) reported.
The head of the Customs Consumer Protection Bureau, Li Man-kai, said the person arrested may have violated the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance. The boxes of 50 masks cost between HK $ 200 and HK $ 499.
Customs officials said the two products were made in Nepal and Turkey. Whereas the origin of the other 2 is not stated. Officers believe that both brands originate from Southeast Asian countries.
Li said contaminated face masks can cause skin problems for people who wear them. While the elderly, children, and people with low immunity may have infected airways if they breathe in bacteria.
“We advise the public to check whether the face mask boxes are damaged before buying them. Also, if the face mask is dirty or smells strange, use it should be stopped, ”said Li.
He also advised people to buy masks from well-known shops.
[DDHKNews / source: RTHK]
