The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (February 3), 53 patients who had tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (case numbers: 12911, 12952, 12970, 12977, 13025, 13033, 13040, 13043, 13049, 13064, 13067, 13069, 13077, 13083, 13094, 13095, 13099, 13104, 13107, 13117, 13127, 13140, 13141, 13151, 13159, 13171, 13173, 13186, 13189, 13213, 13214, 13223, 13242, 13262, 13291, 13301, 13314, 13345, 13355, 13373, 13394, 13396, 13431, 13443, 13469, 13470, 13485, 13509, 13721, 13844, 14134, 14210 and 14367) were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. Including a patient discharged on February 1 (case number: 13044), a total of 12 880 patients have been discharged so far.

     A total of 1 246 patients who had tested positive are currently hospitalised in the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, the Hospital Authority (HA) Infectious Disease Centre, the Community Treatment Facility at AsiaWorld-Expo and 13 public hospitals. One of the patients (case number: 13400) is in critical condition while the remainder are in stable condition.

     The HA 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.
 

     To align with the Government's announcement on the latest anti-epidemic measures with a view to stopping the virus from spreading in the community, the Transport Department (TD) said today (February 3) that it will adjust public services from February 4 until further notice. Details are as follows:

Licensing and related services
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(1) The Licensing Offices at Admiralty, Cheung Sha Wan, Kwun Tong and Sha Tin will suspend walk-in counter services, but will continue to provide counter services for applications submitted by applicants with online appointments and process applications submitted by drop-in boxes, by post, or online. Members of the public without prior booking may submit applications by post, online, or via the drop-in boxes placed at the Licensing Offices from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday. Those submitting an application by post or via drop-in box should put the completed application form, all necessary documents and the appropriate fee (by crossed cheque payable to either "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR") into an envelope. Original identity documents and cash must not be sent by post or drop-in box.

     The TD appeals to members of the public in need to use the online appointment services as far as possible. For applications submitted via the drop-in boxes, they are advised to mark on the envelope the vehicle registration marks and the expiry dates of the vehicle licences, and to leave day time contact telephone numbers on the application forms. This is to enable the staff to identify and follow up on urgent applications. Moreover, for timely processing of applications, they should ensure that the respective application form is duly completed and all necessary supporting documents and a crossed cheque with the correct amount of payable fee are attached before submission. To avoid unnecessary delay, members of the public should submit applications two to three weeks before the expiry dates as far as practicable.

(2) The Public Vehicles Unit at Admiralty will suspend walk-in counter services. Members of the public can submit their applications for public vehicle licences using the drop-in box placed at the Hong Kong Licensing Office at Admiralty. The TD will process the applications according to established procedures and deliver the respective licences/ permits/ approval letters to the applicants upon completion of processing such applications.

(3) The Vehicle Records Office, the Driving Licence Records Office and the Driving Offence Points Office at Admiralty will suspend walk-in counter services. Those with enquiries relating to the collection of a driving licence after a disqualification period should call the Driving Licence Records Office or the Driving Offence Points Office.

(4) The Cross Boundary Unit at Sheung Wan will suspend walk-in counter services. Members of the public can submit their applications using the drop-in box placed at the Cross Boundary Unit. The TD will contact individual applicants to follow up on the applications.

     The TD also reminds members of the public that except for exempted persons, all visitors are required to use the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile application before entering the TD's premises and have to undergo on-the-spot body temperature checks arranged by the TD. Anyone who refuses to observe the above requirements or whose body temperature is higher than 37.5 degrees Celsius will be denied entry to the premises. The staff on site will also request visitors to wear masks and clean their hands with alcohol-based sanitiser before entry and wear masks at all times in the premises.

Vehicle examination services
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     The TD's Vehicle Examination Centres will continue to provide vehicle examination services for vehicles with an appointment. Since the vehicle concerned has to pass the examination before the vehicle licence can be renewed, members of the public should make an early vehicle examination appointment as far as practicable. 

     The TD appeals to the understanding of the members of the public that the TD has to reduce the provision of public services in view of the latest development of epidemic. The TD will closely monitor the situation and adjust its services to align with the Government's anti-epidemic measures and arrangements, and will notify members of the public in due course. For enquiries, members of the public can contact the offices concerned of the TD at the following numbers:
 

     In view of the latest COVID-19 situation and to align with the social distancing measures of the Government, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) announced today (February 3) that all community halls and community centres, except when being used as temporary cold shelters, temporary shelters for emergency situations or for anti-epidemic work, will continue to be temporarily closed until February 17.

     For enquiries, please call the HAD's enquiry hotline at 2835 2500.

     â€‹The Department of Health (DH) today (February 3) said that as a case tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and a case tested preliminarily positive had earlier visited respectively its Argyle Street Jockey Club School Dental Clinic (1/F) and the Kowloon City Lions Clubs Student Health Service Centre (SHSC), the clinic and SHSC will be closed for thorough cleaning and disinfection tomorrow (February 4). Staff will contact the affected clients for further appointment arrangement.
     
     The student visited the Argyle Street Jockey Club School Dental Clinic (1/F) on January 31 and had a mask on while waiting for treatment at the clinic. The staff attending were wearing masks with suitable protective equipment. The student was confirmed to be a case tested positive today. 

     Another student visited the Kowloon City Lions Clubs SHSC on January 26 and wore a mask during his stay. Staff also wore appropriate personal protective equipment. The student was confirmed to be a case tested preliminarily positive today. 

     The DH's Centre for Health Protection has initiated an epidemiological investigation on the relevant cases and relevant contact tracing is ongoing. In view of the epidemic situation, DH’s clinics have stepped up infection control measures, including temperature screening for all visitors before clinic entry, conducting health declaration and limiting number of accompanying carers. Dental Services and Student Health Service have been strictly implementing various disease prevention measures during the epidemic, which include providing employees with masks and other protective equipment, and stepping up the cleaning and sanitising measures of the clinics. All staff members are wearing masks at work and practising hand hygiene at all times. The DH is highly concerned about the COVID-19 situation and has reminded all staff again to maintain personal hygiene and be vigilant at all times. If feeling unwell, they should seek medical attention immediately.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (February 3) announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am, February 3, the CHP was investigating 101 additional confirmed cases and 41 additional asymptomatic cases (i.e. there were 142 additional cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus confirmed by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) in those 24 hours). This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 14 013 so far, while the figures for asymptomatic cases and re-positive cases recorded since January 1 are 560 and nine respectively. Together with the previous two cases with pending case category, Hong Kong has recorded a total of 14 584 cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus so far.

     The newly reported cases consist of 21 imported cases and 121 locally acquired cases (including 88 cases epidemiologically linked with previous cases). One-hundred-and-sixteen of the cases involve mutant strains, the mutation test results of 22 cases are pending and the viral load of the remaining four cases is insufficient for mutation tests. The patients comprise 59 males and 83 females, aged 6 to 85. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk). Case status and classification may be subject to changes when there is new information available during epidemiological investigation and latest information is shown on "COVID-19 Thematic Website".

     As at 4pm today, a total of 1 360 cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been reported in the past 14 days (January 20 to February 2). Six-hundred-and-seventy-nine of them are epidemiologically linked with imported cases/possibly import-related, 129 are local cases, 334 are cases epidemiologically linked with local case, and the rest are imported cases.

     Separately, to stop the potential risk of further spread of the virus, the CHP has arranged/will arrange the residents concerned of the following buildings, where cases suspectedly related to environmental factors (including vertical/horizontal transmission, adjacent yard area and shared pipes) were detected, to undergo quarantine at quarantine centre:
 
• Bik Shui House, Shui Pin Wai Estate, Yuen Long (involving three cases at two units of room 18 on different floors): residents of room 18 on 6th and 7th floor;

     Meanwhile, the whole genome sequencing analysis of cases announced earlier conducted by the PHLSB confirmed that cases 13362, 13401, 13422, 13426, 13445, 13448, 13462, 13466, 13483, 13489, 13503, 13505, 13518, 13524, 13612, 13619, 13668, 13673, 13678, 13711, 13761, 13799, 13800, 13806 to 13809, 13832, 13835, 13846, 13849, 13857, 13865 to 13867, 13870, 13875, 13883, 13896, 13899, 13905, 13907, 13909, 13915, 13916, 13919, 13944, 13945, 13971, 13973, 13999, 14001, 14013, 14034, 14035, 14045, 14098, 14099, 14102 and 14107 all carried the Variant of Concern Omicron. Together with the aforementioned cases, there are so far 834 cases involving Omicron in Hong Kong.

     Also, as the passenger flight (TK083) operated by Turkish Airlines arriving in Hong Kong from Istanbul, Turkey, on February 1 had six passengers who tested positive upon arrival, and the passenger flight (AY101) operated by Finnair arriving in Hong Kong from Helsinki, Finland, on February 2 had five passengers who tested positive upon arrival, the DH thus invoked the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to prohibit the landing of passenger flights in Hong Kong from Istanbul operated by Turkish Airlines and from Helsinki operated by Finnair from February 3 to 16.

     According to the testing and quarantine arrangements for cases with mutant strains, persons who resided or worked within the same building as the residence of relevant cases will be subject to compulsory testing on specified dates in accordance with the announcement by the DH. They will also be required to undergo self-monitoring until the 21st day (see the details of the buildings and dates of testing at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/CTN_Specified_premises_and_Dates_of_Testing.pdf).

     The CHP strongly reminded members of the public to strictly follow the compulsory testing requirements and undergo the multiple tests on time as required. The compulsory testing requirement applies to those who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course as well. The Government will seriously verify whether they had complied with the testing notices. Any person who fails to comply with the 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 order is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. Relevant officers of different government departments are empowered to perform certain functions under the relevant Regulations under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599), including requesting individuals to provide information and assistance when necessary. Any person who fails to comply with the relevant request commits an offence and would be liable to a fine at level 3 ($10,000). The Government reiterates that the aim of issuing a compulsory testing notice is to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community as soon as possible to protect overall public health and safety.

     The spokesman for the CHP stressed that the global situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and there is a continuous increase in the number of cases involving mutant strains that carry higher transmissibility. With the higher transmissibility and risk of infection of the Omicron mutant strain, the CHP strongly appeals to the community to continue to comply with the recently tightened social distancing measures, and to refrain from participating in unnecessary or crowded activities or gatherings (particularly religious or cross-family activities and gatherings). This would lower the risk of infection and prevent the virus from spreading in the community.