The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 0.00am today (August 4), a total of 1 515 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 are currently hospitalised for treatment, including 172 new patients. Among the patients staying in isolation facilities, 427 patients are in isolation wards, 93 patients are in second-tier isolation wards and 456 patients are in the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, of which 136 in total are new patients. There are seven newly reported critical patients and four newly reported serious patients. There are a total of 27 patients in critical condition and 19 are in serious condition, of which seven critical patients are receiving intensive care. Moreover, there are 189 patients who have recovered, including 170 patients who have been discharged. In addition, three patients who passed away in public hospitals were reported.
 
     In the fifth wave of the epidemic, there are 56 269 patients who have recovered so far, including 56 019 patients who have been discharged. And since early 2020, there are 68 649 patients who have recovered, including 68 399 patients who have been discharged.
 
     The Hospital Authority will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 4) announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am, August 4, the CHP was investigating 4 773 additional locally acquired cases tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including 1 708 cases tested positive by nucleic acid tests (732 confirmed cases, 795 asymptomatic cases and 181 cases with pending case status) and 3 065 cases tested positive by rapid antigen tests (RATs) verified in the past 24 hours.

     Separately, 247 additional imported cases were reported, including 226 cases tested positive by nucleic acid tests (14 confirmed cases, 145 asymptomatic cases and 67 cases with pending case status) and 21 cases tested positive by RATs.

     Hong Kong has recorded a total of 827 651 and 544 287 cases that have tested positive by nucleic acid tests and RATs respectively for the SARS-CoV-2 virus so far.

     The CHP is continuing with epidemiological investigations on the cases. Please refer to the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) for more information.

     As of yesterday (August 3), among the specimens received by the DH's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch in the past seven days for verification testing of local cases, about 6.5 per cent and 5.8 per cent of them are related to sub-lineages BA.2.12.1 and BA.4/BA.5 (including suspected cases) under the Omicron mutant strain respectively.

     In addition, as of 0.00am, August 4, a total of 9 314 death cases that had tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the fifth wave (since December 31, 2021) were recorded, with 9 234 and 77 deaths reported from the Hospital Authority and public mortuaries respectively as well as three deaths reported from the Chinese University of Hong Kong Medical Centre. Hong Kong has so far recorded a total of 9 527 death cases that have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

     Furthermore, among the earlier cases by nucleic acid tests reported, there were cases (including pending cases) changed to confirmed, asymptomatic or re-positive cases. As at yesterday, the total number of confirmed cases was 357 982, while the figures for asymptomatic cases, re-positive cases and pending/unknown cases recorded since January 1 were 232 678, 31 and 235 026 respectively.

     The spokesman for the CHP stressed that as the local situation of COVID-19 infection is still severe, the CHP strongly appeals to the community to continue to comply with social distancing measures, avoid going out and refrain from participating in unnecessary or crowded activities or gatherings. This would lower the risk of infection and prevent the virus from spreading in the community.

     â€‹The spokesman reminded that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe cases and deaths from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They can provide effective protection to those vaccinated in preventing serious complications and even death after infection. People who have yet to receive vaccination, especially senior citizens, chronic patients and other immunocompromised persons who face a higher chance of death after COVID-19 infection, should get vaccinated as early as possible for self-protection and to reduce the risk of falling seriously ill and death should they get infected.

     The Government announced today (August 4) that the next round of recruitment exercises for the posts of Administrative Officer (AO), Executive Officer II (EOII), Assistant Trade Officer II (ATOII) and Transport Officer II (TOII) will begin in September 2022.

     As part of the entry requirements, applicants for these posts will need to have obtained:

(a) Level 2 in the two language papers (Use of Chinese and Use of English) in the Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) or equivalent results;
(b) a Pass result in the Aptitude Test (AT) paper in the CRE; and 
(c) a Pass result in the Basic Law and National Security Law Test (BLNST) (degree/professional grades). 

     Details relating to the CRE and the BLNST and an online application system will be made available on the website of the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) during the respective application periods, while details of the 2022-23 AO, EOII, ATOII and TOII recruitment exercises will be separately announced in September.

     All applicants are required to obtain a pass result in the BLNST for all civil service recruitment exercises advertised on or after July 1, 2022, regardless of whether they have taken any Basic Law Test (BLT) centrally conducted by the CSB or individual bureaux/departments in previous recruitment exercises. In other words, candidates who wish to apply for the posts mentioned above must take the BLNST and attain a pass result in order to be considered for appointment.

     Candidates who do not possess the requisite CRE results or equivalent results should also apply to take the relevant paper(s) in this round of the CRE, as applicants for the posts will not automatically be given places at the coming CRE and BLNST.

     The CRE and BLNST will be held in Hong Kong, and tentatively in Beijing and six overseas cities. The details are set out below:
 

  
     All CRE and/or BLNST applicants may apply to take the examination in either Hong Kong or any one of the above-mentioned cities outside Hong Kong, but not both.

     In light of the evolving situation of COVID-19, the CSB may adjust the arrangements for the examination. Please refer to the CSB website at www.csb.gov.hk/english/recruit/cre/949.html for any updates of the examination arrangements.

     A spokesman for the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) today (August 4) said that prospective applicants for civil service posts at the degree or professional level can apply from tomorrow (August 5) onwards to take the Common Recruitment Examination (CRE) and the Basic Law and National Security Law Test (BLNST) in Hong Kong tentatively scheduled to be held on October 8 and 15.

     In view of the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19, the CSB may adjust the arrangements for the examination and announce them on the CSB webpage. Prospective applicants should pay attention to the latest announcements.

     Precautionary and social distancing measures will be taken. They include body temperature screening, compliance with the Vaccine Pass requirements, use of the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile app and face masks, and wider seat spacing among candidates, etc. The examination may also be held on separate days to reduce the number of candidates in each examination centre.

     For the convenience of applicants studying or residing outside Hong Kong, the CRE and BLNST are also tentatively scheduled to be held on December 10 in seven other cities, namely Beijing, London, San Francisco, New York, Toronto, Vancouver and Sydney. An announcement on the details will be made separately later this year on the CSB webpage. Persons who have applied to take the examination in Hong Kong will not be allowed to apply again for taking the examination outside Hong Kong.

     All applicants for civil service posts at the degree or professional level are required to have valid CRE results. Persons planning to apply for these posts in the near future should consider taking this round of the examination. Otherwise, they may miss the opportunity if vacancies are available before another CRE is held.

     Results in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination or other specified public examinations are accepted as equivalents to different levels of results for the Use of Chinese and Use of English papers (details at www.csb.gov.hk/eng/cre.html). Different civil service posts have different Chinese and English language proficiency requirements. Applicants should note the language proficiency requirement of the posts for which they intend to apply. No public examinations results are accepted as being equivalent to the Aptitude Test.

     In addition, all applicants are required to obtain a pass result in the BLNST for all civil service recruitment exercises advertised on or after July 1, 2022, regardless of whether they have taken any Basic Law Test centrally conducted by the CSB or individual bureaux/departments in previous recruitment exercises.
 
     The BLNST (degree/professional grades) is a 30-minute bilingual paper (in both English and Chinese) comprising 20 multiple-choice questions. Applicants scoring at least 10 questions will get a pass result which is accepted for the purpose of applying for all civil service jobs.
 
     Applicants for the coming CRE and BLNST should hold a degree, or a professional qualification meeting the entry requirement of the posts, or be a university student who expects to have obtained a degree in the 2022-23 academic year. Applicants may choose to take any of the CRE papers and/or the BLNST paper in the coming examination.
 
     Persons interested in taking the examination may apply from tomorrow through the online application system on the CSB webpage at www.csb.gov.hk/eng/cre.html; or by using the CRE and BLNST application form (CSB31 (7/2022)), which can be downloaded from the CSB webpage or obtained from any Home Affairs Enquiry Centre of the Home Affairs Department or Job Centre of the Labour Department. Applications must be made before 5pm on August 18 (Hong Kong time).
 
     More details about the coming CRE and BLNST are available on the CSB webpage (www.csb.gov.hk/eng/cre.html). General enquiries may be directed to the Civil Service Examinations Unit by phone at 2537 6429 or by email to csbcseu@csb.gov.hk.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority today (August 4) announced information regarding patients who tested positive via admission screening or testing with patients or staff members identified as close contacts and nosocomial COVID-19 infection cases.
 
     The following are the statistics of patients who tested positive via admission screening or by testing in public hospitals with patients or staff members identified as close contacts:
 

 
     In addition, a 94-year-old female patient in a tuberculosis and chest ward of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Wong Tai Sin Hospital tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday (August 3). The patient concerned deteriorated later and passed away today. A family member who had visited the patient concerned on compassionate grounds also tested positive for COVIDâ€�19. The hospital conducted contact tracing investigation in the ward concerned. Three more female patients in the same ward tested positive for COVID-19. The three patients are currently receiving isolation treatment and are in stable condition.
 
     Admission and visiting arrangements for the ward concerned have been suspended. Arrangements on patient discharge to old age homes and transfer to other hospitals have been suspended as well. Thorough cleaning and disinfection have been conducted for the wards concerned. The hospitals will continue to monitor the health condition of patients and staff members closely, and communicate with the Centre for Health Protection on the latest situation.
 
     There have been no clusters of nosocomial infection cases reported in public hospitals today.