Secretary for Food & Health Dr Ko Wing-man says the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department will consider the advice of several government departments, including the Fire Services Department, before issuing licences for activities involving the use of coloured paint powder.
Dr Ko's comments come a day after hundreds were injured at a party in Taiwan when a coloured powder ignited after being sprayed onto the crowd. There are plans for two similar events to be held in Hong Kong which has raised safety concerns.
He said the Fire Services Department will consider a chain of factors, including the scale of the activity, its venue, and use of any combustible materials or structures when advising food and environmental hygiene officials.
The health chief also pledged that the Government and medical system would do their best to help the five Hong Kong residents who were among the injured.
Commenting on the latest MERS situation, Dr Ko said today was the second consecutive day that Korean health authorities had not reported any new Middle East Respiratory Syndrome cases.
To date, Korea has confirmed 182 MERS cases, including 32 deaths.
Six suspected MERS cases were recorded from noon yesterday to 8am today, including three people who had travelled to Korea.
