The Government yesterday (January 30) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 8pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Kwai Chung (i.e. Shek Wah House, Shek Lei (II) Estate, Kwai Chung, excluding Yan Chai Hospital Artiste Training Alumni Association Care & Attention Home on G/F and 1/F) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained.
In addition, the Government had issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 17 to January 30, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before February 1.
The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today (January 31) and is now carrying out enforcement actions in the "restricted area" to verify that all people in the "restricted area" have undergone compulsory testing. The Government will further announce the revocation time of the declaration.
Starting from around 7am today, persons in the "restricted area" in Kwai Chung who have undergone testing and are able to present SMS notifications with negative test results as proof of having undergone testing may leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer.
The Government set up temporary specimen collection stations in the "restricted area" yesterday and requested persons subject to compulsory testing to collect combined nasal and throat swab samples at the stations to undergo a COVID-19 virus test before 1am today. As at 1am today, 1,872 persons had undergone testing. A preliminary positive case was found and the Centre for Health Protection will take follow up action.
Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit 644 households, among which 40 households did not answer the door. The Government will take measures to follow up.
The Government reiterates that enforcement actions will be taken seriously. Any person who fails to present an SMS notification with a test result as proof of having undergone testing breaches the compulsory testing notice and may be liable to a fine of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him/her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.
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