The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, together with the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr John Lee, and the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, visited Kwai Chung Estate this afternoon (January 23) to inspect the COVID-19 "restriction-testing declaration" and compulsory testing notice operations and learn about the services provided by staff on-site to the residents affected.
      
     In the light of the cases involving the Omicron variant found at the various buildings of Kwai Chung Estate, Mrs Lam announced last evening (January 22) the further measures by the Government to prevent the spread of the virus, covering five-day "restriction-testing declaration" operations on two buildings in the Estate that come with high infection risks, namely Yat Kwai House and Ying Kwai House; "restriction-testing declaration" operations, required to be completed today, on four buildings, namely Hiu Kwai House, Yuk Kwai House, Nga Kwai House and Chin Kwai House; and compulsory testing notice operations on the remaining ten buildings of the Estate and two buildings in Kwai Fuk Court in the vicinity, where the residents were required under the compulsory testing notice to undergo compulsory tests yesterday or today. In view of the incubation period of the virus, all of the people subject to compulsory testing in the above-mentioned buildings are required by the compulsory testing notice to undergo multiple tests in the coming few days to play safe.
      
     Mrs Lam, together with the other officials, received a briefing from an officer of the Housing Department on the operations over these two days and the latest situation, including the testing workflow for residents, delivery of meals and daily necessities, and environmental hygiene related arrangements. She also received a briefing by colleagues of the Department of Health on enhancing the anti-epidemic awareness among colleagues on duty and inspected the deployment of the Police.
      
     The large-scale and days-long operations in Kwai Chung Estate aim to identify infection cases therein as early as possible to cut the transmission chain. As at noon today, a total of over 170 confirmed or preliminary positive cases from seven buildings were found.  These results are testimony to the effectiveness and necessity of the operations.
      
     Mrs Lam expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the residents of Kwai Chung Estate for their co-operation in the "restriction-testing declaration" and compulsory testing notice operations and appealed for their understanding that the operations are necessary. The Government will closely monitor the situation and deploy additional manpower to reduce the inconvenience and anxiety caused to the residents. The "restriction-testing declaration" and compulsory testing notice operations are large in scale. Thus far, the Government has mobilised more than 1 800 staff members from over ten government departments, in addition to the Housing Department, to join the operations; and arranged six testing service providers to set up ten mobile specimen collection stations to cope with the testing demand in the Estate. Mrs Lam said that she is grateful to the various government departments and testing service providers for joining hands to form an anti-epidemic team within a short period of time to carry out different tasks to fight the virus together.
      
     "The highly transmissible Omicron variant, ravaging all over the world, has caused a dramatic change to the local epidemic situation. While the Government is doing its best to deal with the virus, the co-operation and support of members of the public has been key to Hong Kong's success in fighting the epidemic over the past two years. I appeal to the residents of Kwai Chung Estate who are subject to the 'restriction-testing declaration' and compulsory testing notice to undergo testing in an orderly manner in the coming few days to curb the virus," Mrs Lam said.  "Furthermore, I appeal to members of the public and pertinent premises for strictly adhering to the various social distancing measures. Members of the public should also reduce going-out and avoid gatherings. Those with an infection risk suspected should undergo nucleic acid testing as soon as possible to prevent the virus from spreading further. Most importantly, members of the public yet to receive any COVID-19 vaccine or eligible to receive a third dose should get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves as well as the community."

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     As at 9am today (January 23), 31 patients who had tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (case numbers: 12600, 12645, 12650, 12662, 12680, 12695, 12706, 12718, 12721, 12733, 12738, 12778, 12780, 12783, 12789, 12793, 12800, 12802, 12810, 12813, 12830, 12837, 12846, 12848, 12850, 12851, 12889, 12900, 12907, 12954 and 13035) were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. So far, a total of 12 572 patients have been discharged.
 
     A total of 324 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 five public hospitals. All of them 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.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 23) announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am, January 23, the CHP was investigating 102 additional confirmed cases and 38 additional asymptomatic cases in the past 24 hours (i.e. there were 140 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 13 034 so far, while the figures for asymptomatic cases and re-positive cases recorded since January 1 are 248 and four respectively, i.e. Hong Kong has recorded a total of 13 286 cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus so far.

     The newly reported cases consist of 15 imported case, 112 cases epidemiologically linked with imported cases, four local cases, and nine cases epidemiologically linked with local cases. One-hundred-and-thirty-three of the cases involve mutant strains, the mutation test results of six cases are pending and the viral load of the remaining case is insufficient for mutation tests. The patients comprise 63 males and 77 females, aged two-month-old to 90. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

     A total of 244 cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus have been reported in the past 14 days (January 9 to 22). Ninety-five of them are epidemiologically linked with imported cases, eight are local cases, 10 are cases epidemiologically linked with local case, and the rest are imported cases.

     Meanwhile, the whole genome sequencing analysis of cases announced earlier conducted by the PHLSB confirmed that cases 13077, 13078, 13080 to 13084, 13089, 13091 to 13095 and 13097 to 13099 all carried the Variant of Concern Omicron. Together with the aforementioned cases, there are so far 533 cases involving Omicron in Hong Kong.

     The CHP is also following up on cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 related to pet shops. As of today, 13 cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 are related to pet shops, including four additional cases 13154, 13157, 13267 and 13281. Epidemiological investigations on the cases are ongoing. As at January 23 evening, the CHP has collected a total of 738 environmental samples from relevant pet shops and relevant warehouses and the laboratory testing has completed, in which a total of 35 environmental samples tested positive. The latest laboratory testing results revealed that environmental samples collected from one additional animal boarding establishment (I Love Rabbit at 27B Lee Garden Road, Causeway Bay) tested positive. As a prudent measure, the newly added venue above will be included in a compulsory testing notice. Specified persons who were present at the relevant venues from January 7 to January 18 need to undergo compulsory testing on the specified date(s). The staff members of the venue above will be arranged to undergo compulsory quarantine at the quarantine centre.
      
     Also, as the passenger flight (QR818) operated by Qatar Airways arriving in Hong Kong from Doha, Qatar, on January 21, had 11 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 Doha operated by Qatar Airways from January 23 to February 5.

     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.

     With the higher transmissibility and risk of infection of the Omicron mutant strain, the CHP strongly appeals to the community to comply with the recently tightened social distancing measures in the next two weeks, 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.

     The spokesman for the CHP stressed, "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. Hong Kong reported the first imported case two years ago, on January 23, 2020. We are grateful to all frontline healthcare staff and our DH staff for their dedicated work and contribution to the fight against the pandemic during the past two years. We also wish to thank the public for their cooperation with the various anti-epidemic measures implemented by the Government, and appeal for their continuous support in safeguarding the health of themselves and their families."

     The Housing Department today (January 23) learned that a contract labour relations officer has tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019. She is staying at a hospital for treatment.
 
     She worked at the office of the Housing Department on the ground floor of Lok Shan House of Cheung Shan Estate, Tsuen Wan. She last worked in the office on January 19. 
 
     The labour relations officer did not have contact with members of the public recently while performing duties. She had been wearing masks and following relevant disease prevention measures at work.
 
     The office has been fully cleaned and sterilised in accordance with the guidelines of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP).
 
     The Housing Department will continue to maintain close liaison with the CHP and co-operate with its disease prevention measures and quarantine work.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     The spokesman for the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) made the following announcement today (January 23) regarding one patient care assistant (PCA) who tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19:

     A 50-year-old PCA of PWH, who lives in Yat Kwai House in Kwai Chung Estate and had undergone compulsory testing on January 21, was preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19 and now is being treated under isolation in the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre with stable condition.

     The concerned PCA is responsible for cleansing and assisting in preparation of supplies in the Operating Theatre. She was on duty on January 19 and her COVID-19 test result from compulsory testing was negative on the same night. She had mild throat discomfort and myalgia on January 20, consulted a general practitioner and had not undergone COVID-19 test. She did not perform any high-risk clinical procedures and was equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment, while working in the operating theatre on January 21 from 7.30am to 10am.

     The hospital's infection control team has conducted contact tracing and no staff members are classified as close contacts. For the sake of prudence, around 140 staff members, who worked in the same shifts with the concerned PCA on January 19 and 21, have been arranged to undergo COVID-19 tests. The hospital has also arranged six patients who are classified as other contacts to undergo COVID-19 test.

     Thorough cleansing and disinfection has been arranged for the operating theatre. PWH will continue to closely monitor the patients and staff members' health conditions and communicate with the Centre for Health Protection on the latest situation.