Press Release

Octopus to Assist The University of Hong Kong in Research Projects to Contain the Spread of the COVID-19

(Hong Kong, 2 April 2020) – The LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) and Octopus Cards Limited (OCL) today jointly announced that due to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, OCL has, on the request by HKUMed, agreed to provide aggregate statistical data relating to the usage of Octopus cards for the purpose of supporting HKUMed to conduct research projects to contain the continuous spread of COVID-19 in Hong Kong.

The relevant information to be provided to HKUMed is of aggregate value, incapable of ascertaining the identity of any individual person and the usage data of a particular Octopus card, and is not "personal data" as defined in the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Ordinance). The aggregate data contains no name, no personal identification number, no phone number, no email address, no card identifier and no account number. The relevant information pertains to the usage of Octopus cards for the period from 1 January 2020 until the pandemic is declared over by the HKSAR Government.

HKUMed has undertaken with OCL that the relevant information provided is strictly for the purpose of conducting the said research projects in the effort to curb the COVID-19 spread, and will not be used, whether in whole or in part, for any other purposes or in any manner whatsoever without the prior written consent of OCL.

HKUMed commented that the global consensus is to use the instantaneous effective reproductive number (R_t) as a major indicator for understanding the development of the COVID-19 pandemic. To further reduce the lag in the R_t estimation, more data is needed and Octopus is one of the important data sources. The aggregate data from Octopus can provide HKUMed with information on the contact pattern and intensity of Hong Kong residents in different areas, and can play a significant role in further reducing the lag of the estimation of R_t.

Prior to the release of the relevant information, OCL has consulted the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data who takes the view that if no personal data within the meaning of the Ordinance is involved, the Data Protection Principles will not apply. The disclosure of the relevant information is also in accordance with the Conditions of Issue of Octopus.

 

- Ends -