Author Archives: hksar gov

     â€‹The Government today (February 4) 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 Sai Ying Pun (i.e. Tower 1, Yuk Ming Towers, 208 Third Street, Sai Ying Pun. 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 7am tomorrow (February 5).
 
　　A Government spokesman said, “Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a ‘restriction-testing declaration’. As some cases tested preliminarily positive and some cases tested positive who have lived in the abovementioned building were detected recently, and the test results involved mutant strain, the risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher, so the Government decided to make a ‘restriction-testing declaration’ for the relevant area.”
 
　　The Government will arrange dedicated staff to collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs at the “restricted area” and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 11pm tonight. 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 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 7am 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.
 
     Persons in the “restricted area” who have undergone testing today, and are able to provide the SMS notification through a mobile phone or related certification containing the test results, are not required to take the test again. However, they are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the area have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained. Also, according to the compulsory testing notice to be issued today, any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 26, 2022 to February 4, 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 6, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, for prudence’s sake, vaccinated persons are also required to undergo testing.
 
     In addition, in accordance with the latest arrangement, persons who resided in the same building as the case involving a mutant strain are required to undergo compulsory testing on days 2, 3, 4 and 7 counting from the day subsequent to that when the case last stayed in that building before being admitted to hospital for treatment or leaving Hong Kong.
 
　　The Home Affairs Department has set up a hotline (Tel: 2835 1473) which starts 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. read more

     In the light of the positive COVID-19 virus test results from some sewage samples collected in Yuen Long Site 4A last week, the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, distributed rapid test kits to members of the public at… read more

     â€‹The Government announced earlier that the "vaccine pass" arrangement will be extended to cover all persons to be newly admitted to the residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) and the residential care ho… read more

     The Government yesterday (February 3) 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 7.30pm that day, 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; see Annex) are required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. The Government today (February 4) decided to extend the period of operation and aims at finishing the exercise at about 8.30am tomorrow (February 5). Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises and undergo two tests under the designated arrangement (including the one conducted yesterday under the declaration), until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained, and upon the agreement of the Secretary for Food and Health having regard to all the circumstances and the public interest of Hong Kong.

     A Government spokesman said, “Recently there are several positive cases affecting residents of Hing Ping House, Tai Hing Estate and more preliminary tested positive cases have been identified under the “restriction-testing declaration” operation conducted yesterday. It is worrying to note that there are over 15 cases tested preliminarily positive or positive at Hing Ping House. In view of the significant risk of infection at Hing Ping House, Tai Hing Estate, we consider it necessary to undertake determined action by extending the ‘restriction-testing declaration’ operation made earlier under Cap. 599J to February 5 to prevent the virus from further spreading.”

     The Government has set up temporary specimen collection stations at the “restricted area” and requested persons subject to testing to undergo testing during the period specified on February 3 and February 4. Arrangements have been made for persons subject to testing to undergo nucleic acid tests at specimen collection stations where dedicated staff will collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs. Persons subject to 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. As a mutant strain is involved, and having considered the relevant infection risks, for prudence’s sake, vaccinated persons and, only in respect of the test on February 4, persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing.

     The Government spokesman said, “We understand that this exercise will cause inconvenience for the public. We sincerely appeal for the co-operation of residents of Hing Ping House (including those who are at work and not currently at the premises) to return to their household and to comply with the testing arrangement. Those who have visited Hing Ping House in the past two weeks for more than two hours should undergo testing today, on February 5, February 6, February 7 and February 10 in accordance with the compulsory testing notice issued earlier. The Government will make a public announcement when the declaration expires officially.”

     In order to maintain public and emergency services within the “restricted area”, the Government and relevant working staff (such as healthcare officers and other officers of the Hospital Authority, testing service providers engaged by the Government and cleaning service providers) are allowed to enter and leave the “restricted area” on condition that personal information and contact details are given as well as certain infection control instructions are followed (including undergoing testing before leaving the “restricted area” without the need to wait for the test results). 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 for individuals who are not residents in the area when the declaration takes effect, government officers may exercise discretion and allow those persons to leave the area after considering the individual circumstances. Such persons must have followed the instructions to undergo testing and must leave their personal information for contact purposes.

     The Housing Department has set up hotline (Tel: 2129 8029) 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 the “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. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Hong Kong Children’s Hospital (HKCH) made the following announcement today (February 4) regarding an outpatient who tested positive for COVID-19:
 
     A 7-month-old baby girl and her mother attended dietitian consultation in the integrated rehabilitation centre of HKCH on January 26. HKCH was notified on February 3 by the Centre for Health Protection that they were confirmed to be positive for COVID-19 on February 2. No high-risk medical procedures were performed on the patient, but she could not wear a mask during the consultation. As a precautionary consideration, a dietitian and a patient care assistant who attended to her without appropriate eye protection were classified as close contacts who require quarantine.
 
     HKCH’s infection control team has conducted contact tracing. No other staff or patients are classified as close contacts so far.
 
     Thorough cleaning and disinfection have been performed in the centre and its operation remains normal. HKCH will continue to communicate with the Centre for Health Protection on the latest situation. read more