â€‹The Government today (February 5) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" (declaration) effective from 7pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Shatin (i.e. Sun Yuet House and Sun Wai House, Sun Chui Estate, Shatin, See Annex.) are 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. The Government aims at finishing this exercise at about 8.30am tomorrow (February 6).

     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. As the sewage discharged from the above buildings were tested positive for COVID-19, it is suspected that there are asymptomatic patients in the building. Given the risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher, the Government decided to make a 'restriction-testing declaration' for the relevant area."

     The Government has set up temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" and requested persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 12am tomorrow. Arrangements have been made for persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo a nucleic acid test at specimen collection stations where dedicated staff will collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs. Persons subject to compulsory testing must stay at their place of residence until all test results are ascertained to avoid cross-infection risk. The Government will arrange for door-to-door specimen collection for people with impaired mobility.

     The Government spokesman said, "We understand that this exercise will cause inconvenience to the public. The Government has made arrangements to carry out testing for all persons present in the 'restricted area' as soon as possible. The aim is to strive to complete testing of all identified persons subject to compulsory testing and confirm the results, and finish the exercise at around 8.30am tomorrow. The Government will make a public announcement when the declaration expires officially. In the cases in which employees are unable to go to work because of the declaration, the Government hopes their employers can exercise discretion and not deduct the salaries or benefits of the employees."

     If staying in the "restricted area" will cause unreasonable hardship to individuals who are not residents in the area when the declaration takes effect, government officers may exercise discretion and allow that person to leave the area after considering the individual circumstances. That person must have followed the instructions to undergo testing and leave his/her personal information for contact purposes.

     According to the compulsory testing notice to be issued today, any person who had been present at the above buildings for more than two hours from January 23 to February 5, 2022, 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 7, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, and having considered relevant infection risks, for prudence's sake, vaccinated persons and persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing.

     The Housing Department has set up a hotline (Tel: 2698 8988) which has started operation at 7pm today for residents restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance. The Social Welfare Department will also provide assistance to the affected persons.

     The Government appeals to persons subject to compulsory testing for their full co-operation by registering and undergoing testing, and waiting for the results patiently at home. The Government will strictly follow up on whether the persons concerned have complied with the compulsory testing notices and "restriction-testing declaration". Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or 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 would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     The Government today (February 5) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" (declaration) effective from 7pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tuen Mun (i.e. Hing Cheung House, 6 Tai Hing Street, (excluding Yuen Long (2) District Maintenance Office, Housing Department, The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation-Community Rehabilitation Network (Tai Hing Centre), The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council Tai Hing Hostel and Tuen Mun Youths Association on G/F) and 2 Tai Hing Street, Hing Tai House (excluding District Lands Office/Tuen Mun Squatter Control Team, Clearance (2) Office (Tuen Mun Sub-office), Lands Department and Fu Hong Society Kit Hong Home), Tai Hing Estate, Tuen Mun. See Annex.) are 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. The Government aims at finishing this exercise at about 8.30am tomorrow (February 6).

     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. As the sewage discharged from the above buildings were tested positive for COVID-19, it is suspected that there are asymptomatic patients in the building. Given the risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher, the Government decided to make a 'restriction-testing declaration' for the relevant area."

     The Government has set up temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" and requested persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 1am tomorrow. Arrangements have been made for persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo a nucleic acid test at specimen collection stations where dedicated staff will collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs. Persons subject to compulsory testing must stay at their place of residence until all test results are ascertained to avoid cross-infection risk. The Government will arrange for door-to-door specimen collection for people with impaired mobility.

     The Government spokesman said, "We understand that this exercise will cause inconvenience to the public. The Government has made arrangements to carry out testing for all persons present in the 'restricted area' as soon as possible. The aim is to strive to complete testing of all identified persons subject to compulsory testing and confirm the results, and finish the exercise at around 8.30am tomorrow. The Government will make a public announcement when the declaration expires officially. In the cases in which employees are unable to go to work because of the declaration, the Government hopes their employers can exercise discretion and not deduct the salaries or benefits of the employees."

     If staying in the "restricted area" will cause unreasonable hardship to individuals who are not residents in the area when the declaration takes effect, government officers may exercise discretion and allow that person to leave the area after considering the individual circumstances. That person must have followed the instructions to undergo testing and leave his/her personal information for contact purposes.

     According to the compulsory testing notice to be issued today, any person who had been present at the above buildings for more than two hours from January 23 to February 5, 2022 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 7, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, and having considered relevant infection risks, for prudence's sake, vaccinated persons and persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing.

     The Housing Department has set up a hotline (Tel: 2462 4601) which has started operation at 7pm today for residents restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance. The Social Welfare Department will also provide assistance to the affected persons.

     The Government appeals to persons subject to compulsory testing for their full co-operation by registering and undergoing testing, and waiting for the results patiently at home. The Government will strictly follow up on whether the persons concerned have complied with the compulsory testing notices and "restriction-testing declaration". Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or 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 would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     The Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) today (February 5) said that a staff member who works on the 34th floor of Revenue Tower in Wan Chai has tested positive for COVID-19 last night (February 4). She is staying at a hospital for treatment.

     The staff member concerned is responsible for Innovation and Technology Fund Secretariat work. She had no recent travel history and also had no contact with the public. She last performed duties on January 31. She wore masks and followed relevant disease prevention measures at work.
      
     The ITC has completed thorough cleaning and sterilisation of the office concerned in accordance with the CHP's advice. All staff of the same office will undergo COVID-19 nucleic acid tests and work from home.
      
     The ITC has been strictly implementing disease prevention measures during the epidemic and will maintain close liaison with the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health. Staff members are reminded to pay attention to personal hygiene and to stay vigilant. They should seek medical advice immediately if feeling unwell.

     In the light of the positive test results for the COVID-19 virus from some sewage samples collected in Kwun Tong and Tuen Mun, the Home Affairs Department (including the Kwun Tong District Office (KTDO) and the Tuen Mun District Office (TMDO)) today (February 5) distributed a total of about 39 000 COVID-19 rapid test kits to households, cleansing workers and property management staff living and working in the relevant housing estates.
 
     The KTDO today distributed a total of around 20 000 rapid test kits to households, cleansing workers and property management staff living and working in Lei Sang House and Lei Ye House in Lei Yue Mun Estate, Ko Cheung Court and Ko Yee Estate in Yau Tong for voluntary testing through their property management companies. The TMDO today also distributed a total of around 19 000 rapid test kits to households, cleansing workers and property management staff living and working in Leung King Estate (Leung Wai House, Leung Chun House, Leung Kit House, Leung Chi House, Leung Shui House, Leung Wah House, Leung Ying House, and Leung Yin House ) for voluntary testing through its property management company, in the hope of identifying infected persons early, so as to better protect the infected persons and their families. However, the Government stresses that rapid test kit testing is not a substitute for the Government's compulsory testing requirement.

     For more information on the use of the rapid test kits, residents may refer to the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjLzD3-gab4.

     The Government appeals for the co-operation of members of the public to safeguard the health of themselves and their families by undergoing testing on a voluntary basis and fighting the virus together. The Government urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or had contact with cases that tested positive), to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons to reduce the transmission risks of COVID-19.

    

     The Government exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" on February 3 with effect from 7.30pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tuen Mun (i.e. Hing Ping House, Tai Hing Estate, 4 Tai Fong Street, Tuen Mun) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. The Government yesterday (February 4) extended the period of operation to today (February 5). Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises and they had to undergo two tests under the designated arrangement until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. 

     In addition, for those who have visited Hing Ping House in the past two weeks for more than two hours, they should undergo testing on February 4, February 5, February 6, February 7 and February 10 in accordance with the compulsory testing notice issued earlier. The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 9am today and carried out enforcement action in the "restricted area" afterwards to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 11am today.

     In this exercise, the Housing Department, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised 538 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.

     The Government delivered breakfast, lunch and dinner boxes to persons subject to compulsory testing and provided simple food for them, including canned food, instant noodles and corn kernels, so as to facilitate the meal arrangements of persons subject to compulsory testing.

     The Housing Department has set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.

     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone's co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 9am today, the Government took enforcement action in the "restricted area" immediately to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative test result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 11am. Test records of 757 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Three persons were found to have not undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).

     The Government reminded the households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.

     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.

     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the 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.