â€‹The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 9) announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am, January 9, the CHP was investigating 16 additional confirmed cases and 17 additional asymptomatic cases in the past 24 hours (i.e. there were 33 additional cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus confirmed by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) in those 24 hours). This brings a total number of confirmed cases to 12 786 so far and starting from January 1 recorded 149 asymptomatic cases. Hong Kong has recorded a total of 12 935 cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus so far.

     The newly reported cases consist of 27 imported cases, five cases epidemiologically linked with imported case and one possibly import-related case. Thirty of the cases involved mutant strains, mutation test results of two cases are pending, while the viral load of the remaining case is insufficient for mutation test. The patients comprise 17 males and 16 females, aged 11-month-old to 71. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

     The five cases epidemiologically linked with imported case are 12909 (13-year-old girl who is a household contact of case 12854), 12910 (42-year-old female who is a household contact of case 12854), 12911 (3-year-old boy who is a family member of case 12821 and had breakfast at Six Garden Restaurant with case 12821 on December 31, 2021), 12913 (71-year-old female who visited the workplace of cases 12825 and 12880 on January 3) and 12916 (3-year-old boy who is a household contact of case 12903). The possibly import-related case is 12908 (39-year-old female who is a part-time cabin cleaning worker at the Hong Kong International Airport). Details of cases 12908, 12911 and 12913 have been announced yesterday (January 8) (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202201/08/P2022010800739.htm).

     A total of 321 cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus have been reported in the past 14 days (December 26, 2021, to January 8, 2022). Thirty of them are epidemiologically linked with imported cases/possibly import-related cases, one is a local case, while the rest are imported cases.

     Meanwhile, the whole genome sequencing analysis of cases announced earlier conducted by the PHLSB confirmed that cases 12751, 12752, 12771 to 12774, 12777 to 12780, 12786, 12787, 12791 to 12794, 12797, 12838 to 12840, 12854, 12860, 12872, 12873 and 12875 all carried the Variant of Concern Omicron. Together with the aforementioned cases, there are so far 265 cases involving Omicron in Hong Kong.
 
     Also, as the passenger flight (SQ007) operated by Singapore Airlines arriving in Hong Kong from San Francisco, the United States of America, on January 7, 2022 had eight passengers who tested positive upon arrival, and the passenger flight (NH811) operated by All Nippon Airways arriving in Hong Kong from Tokyo, Japan, on January 7, 2022 had six 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 San Francisco operated by Singapore Airlines and from Tokyo operated by All Nippon Airways from January 9 to 22, 2022.

     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 that 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 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 gathering (particularly religious or cross-family activities and gatherings). This would lower the risk of infection and prevent the virus from spreading in the community.

     â€‹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, and there are also reports of breakthrough infections in some vaccinated individuals. The CHP strongly urges members of the public to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong, in particular to specified places with high risk under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H)."

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (January 9) said as three cases tested positive and a case tested preliminarily positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus recently occurred at Mei Sun Building, 4-20 Kau Hui Chik Street, Tai Po, which involved units D at two different floors, the CHP is proactively following up to investigate whether the infection of the case tested preliminarily positive are related to the three cases tested positive earlier, so as to stop the potential risk of further spread of the virus.
      
     In view of the case 12854 tested positive earlier resided at Mei Sun Building, the Government made a "restriction-testing declaration" for the building on January 6 and no case that tested positive was found. Two of her household contacts living together (cases 12909 and 12910 announced today), who were sent to quarantine facility on January 7, later tested positive. The CHP has found another case tested preliminarily positive today who is a 66-year-old female resident in unit D at another floor. She underwent compulsory testing yesterday in accordance with relevant requirement and her sample tested preliminarily positive.
      
     The CHP has co-ordinated with related Government departments and experts today and conducted a site inspection today to the concerned floors and units of Mei Sun Building to investigate and examine if environmental factors were involved in the infection of the case tested preliminarily positive. The CHP has also collected environmental samples in the units concerned. The CHP took into account the opinions from experts and decided to carry out prudent measures on infection control. The DH will issue quarantine orders to asymptomatic residents of unit D on 6th Floor to 24th Floor of Mei Sun Building and transfer them to quarantine facility; symptomatic residents will be sent to the hospital for treatment. The Government will also make a "restriction-testing declaration" again for Mei Sun Building tonight.

     In light of the case tested positive earlier, 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 that 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 Government today (January 9) 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 9pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tai Po (i.e. Mei Sun Building, 4-20 Kau Hui Chik Street, Tai Po, excluding the shops at G/F and residential care home for the elderly at 1/F to 3/F at Mei Sun Building. 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 (January 10).

     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. As a preliminary tested positive case who has lived in the abovementioned building was detected today, and the preliminary test result involved a 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 after the test result was found to be positive."
           
     The Government will set up temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 12.30am tomorrow. Arrangements will be 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 and elderly persons.

     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.

     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 3, 2022 to January 9, 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 January 11, 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.

     In addition, in accordance with the latest arrangement, persons who resided in the same building as the preliminary tested positive case carrying variant of concern suspected to be Omicron are required to undergo compulsory testing on days 2, 3, 4, 7, 12 and 19 counting from the day subsequent to that when the relevant confirmed 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 9pm 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 Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, accompanied by the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), Dr Edwin Tsui, and the Principal Nursing Officer, Dr Mary Foong, today (January 9) inspected DH work units responsible for contact tracing and quarantine matters, including the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre (PBQC), Contact Tracing Office (CTO), the CHP's Quarantine Centre Task Force (QCTF) and Home Quarantine Task Force (HQTF), to understand their response plans in view of the recent surge in cases tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the latest working condition of front line staff, and ensure smooth execution of the department's anti-epidemic work and effectiveness of contact tracing so as to contain the further spread of infections.

     At the PBQC, Dr Lam was briefed by front line staff on the operation of the centre and its contingency plan. As most of the recent cases had attended a number of social gatherings leading to increased transmission chains in community, the number of close contacts that needed to be quarantined at the centre increased rapidly in the past few days, putting much pressure on the manpower and capacity of quarantine facilities. 

     Dr Lam said, "Recently, the local epidemic situation changed drastically. Apart from a surge in imported cases, cases involving the more transmissible Omicron have been spreading locally. We must immediately intensify the various tasks relating to contact tracing and quarantine. I am most grateful to my colleagues who have all along stand firm by their posts and contribute to anti-epidemic efforts. Facing the recent threat posed by the Omicron, let us join hands with the public again to fight against the rising risk in the latest epidemic situation."

     After that, Dr Lam visited the CTO at the Kai Tak Community Hall, where he was briefed by staff on the work concerning the recent tracing of a large number of close contacts relating to a number of clusters. The office has successfully assisted in the tracing of a large number of close contacts in the past week, in an attempt to end the virus transmission chain as soon as possible. The heads of the QCTF and HQTF of the CHP also reported on the coordination work in arranging compulsory quarantine for a large number of close contacts and their household contacts within a short period of time and the provision of necessary support for people under quarantine. 

     Dr Lam said, "The Government has tightened social distancing measures decisively aiming to promptly cut the transmission chain. I appeal to the public to continue to support and comply by the measures and rules, especially to refrain from participating in unnecessary or crowded activities or mass gathering, and to get vaccinated of COVID-19 and Influenza vaccines as soon as possible. This would lower the risk of infection and prevent the virus from spreading in the community."

    

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) today (January 9) continued to step up patrols at venues under its management, ensuring venue users to abide by the anti-epidemic regulations in order to minimise the risk of the latent transmission chains in the community.

     The LCSD spokesman said the department continued to step up inspections, together with relevant departments today, at its leisure and cultural venues and called on venue users to abide by the rules. Repeated offenders are prosecuted after verbal warnings are ignored.

     Promotional leaflets as well as venue broadcast and notices were used to urge foreign domestic helpers to comply with the legal requirements during patrols by the LCSD staff.

      As at 4pm today, more than 3 500 times verbal advice were given out during patrols of venues by the LCSD staff yesterday (January 8) and today.

     The spokesman appealed to venue users to exercise self-discipline and abide by relevant anti-epidemic regulations in order to reduce the chances of virus spreading in the community. Enforcement actions will be taken when irregularities are found.