The Home Affairs Department (HAD) extended the scope of the COVID-19 Community Testing Scheme on August 7. The distribution of sampling kits and the collection of specimens have been completed at Tsz Oi Court in Wong Tai Sin District; Choi Fook Estate, Ping Shek Estate, Kai Yip Estate and Choi Ha Estate in Kwun Tong District; Shan King Estate and some buildings of Butterfly Estate in Tuen Mun District; as well as Chong Tak Building and Chung Yuen Building in Yau Tsim Mong District. As at today (August 14), about 28 000 specimens have been collected.
As for the 22 buildings and housing estate covered under the Community Testing Scheme announced on August 11, the District Offices, their partnering charities and social service organisations collected about 3 000 specimens from Tai Kung Building of Cosmopolitan Estates in Yau Tsim Mong District; Chung Yuen House of Chuk Yuen North Estate in Wong Tai Sin District; Mei Fung House of Mei Lam Estate and Hin Hing House of Hin Keng Estate in Sha Tin District. The testing agency is conducting tests on the specimens returned. So far, one case was determined to have a positive test result after being reviewed by the Public Health Laboratory Centre of the Department of Health. The confirmed case involved a resident of Shan King Estate.
A spokesman for the HAD said, "The extension of this scheme has successfully identified the infected persons hidden in the community. This shows that the community testing scheme is effective in early identification, isolation and treatment of the infected and is important in the fight against the epidemic."
"The District Offices concerned will distribute sampling kits and collect specimens at Butterfly Estate in Tuen Mun District, and the remaining buildings/estate in the coming few days. HAD urges residents to actively participate in the testing scheme for breaking the invisible transmission chain in the community as soon as possible. Together we fight against epidemic."
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