In view of the development of COVID-19 epidemic situation in Hong Kong, the Government announces today (January 5) that it will tighten social distancing measures with effect from January 7 for a period of 14 days to January 20.
      
     "The COVID-19 epidemic situation in Hong Kong has evolved drastically on the previous day. The virus has spread into the local community due to several imported cases concerning exempted air crew members, and silent transmission chains may have already existed in the community. Hong Kong now faces substantial risk of a major outbreak. The Government must adopt stringent measures in the coming two weeks with a view to containing the epidemic as early as possible," a Government spokesman said.
      
     The Government will tighten social distancing measures to the most stringent level as seen during the third and fourth waves of the epidemic, with a view to reducing public traffic, social functions and crowd gatherings to the greatest extent. This serves to curb the spread of the virus in the community through discouraging members of the public from going out and joining activities unnecessarily. Relevant measures will apply to all catering business and scheduled premises regulated under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F). Specific measures (details at Annex 1) include:
 
(I) Catering business
 
(1) From 6pm to 4.59am of the subsequent day, save for specific premises (details at Annex 3), a person responsible for carrying on a catering business must cease selling or supplying food or drink for consumption on the premises of the business; and close any premises, or part of the premises (whichever is applicable), on which food or drink is sold or supplied by the business for consumption on the premises. The premises concerned may still sell or supply food and/or drink for takeaway services and deliveries. A person responsible for carrying on a catering business is also required to put up a notice at the entrance to the catering premises to remind customers that food or drink should not be consumed in areas adjacent to the catering premises. Maximum number of persons per table for catering premises under Types B, C and D Modes of Operation will be reduced to two, four and six respectively, whereas the maximum number of customers per premises and per banquet will remain unchanged.
 
(2) No live performance and dancing activity is allowed in catering premises. Karaoke or mahjong-tin kau activity should also be suspended therein.
 
(3) Other requirements and restrictions on catering premises will remain in force, including that all customers, when they are away from the table, must not consume food or drink and must wear a mask; and they must scan the LeaveHomeSafe (LHS) venue QR code using the LHS mobile application on their mobile phones / other mobile devices before entering the premises (excluding persons who only order takeaways).
 
(4) Bars or pubs will be closed.
 
(II) Scheduled premises

(5) Except club-houses and hotels or guesthouses, all scheduled premises regulated under Cap. 599F as listed below must suspend operation:
(a) Amusement game centres;
(b) Bathhouses;
(c) Fitness centres;
(d) Places of amusement;
(e) Places of public entertainment;
(f) Premises (commonly known as party rooms) that are maintained or intended to be maintained for hire for holding social gatherings;
(g) Beauty parlours;
(h) Establishments (commonly known as clubs or nightclubs) that are open late into the night, usually for drinking, and dancing or other entertainment;
(i) Karaoke establishments;
(j) Mahjong-tin kau premises;
(k) Massage establishments;
(l) Sports premises;
(m) Swimming pools;
(n) cruise ships (i.e. suspension of "cruise-to-nowhere" itineraries); and
(o) event premises.
 
(6) For club-houses and hotels or guesthouses, managers must comply with the relevant restrictions under Cap. 599F, including closing the facilities therein that are being used or operated as premises mentioned in points (4) and (5) above; and the catering premises therein must comply with all applicable requirements, including that of suspension of dine-in service during dinnertime.
 
(III) Mask-wearing requirement
 
(7) The mandatory mask-wearing requirement under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I) will be extended for a period of 14 days from January 7 to January 20. A person must wear a mask all the time when the person is boarding or on board a public transport carrier, is entering or present in an MTR paid area, or is entering or present in a specified public place (i.e. all public places, save for outdoor public places in country parks and special areas as defined in section 2 of the Country Parks Ordinance (Cap. 208)).
 
(8) Under Cap. 599I, if a person does not wear a mask in accordance with the requirement, an authorised person may deny that person from boarding a public transport carrier or entering the area concerned, as well as require that person to wear a mask and disembark from the carrier or leave the said area. A person in contravention of the relevant provision commits an offence and the maximum penalty is a fine at level 3 ($10,000). In addition, authorised public officers may issue fixed penalty notices to persons who do not wear a mask in accordance with the requirement and such persons may discharge liability for the offence by paying a fixed penalty at $5,000.

(IV) Cessation of mass events to avoid group gatherings
 
(9) Unless exempted, the prohibition on group gatherings of more than four persons in public places will continue during the 14-day period from January 7 to January 20. The requirement is also applicable to group gatherings in catering business and scheduled premises regulated under Cap. 599F in which the relevant requirements or restrictions are not complied with.
 
(10) Any person who participates in a prohibited group gathering; organises a prohibited group gathering; owns, controls or operates the place of such a gathering; and knowingly allows the taking place of such gathering commits an offence under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G). Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. Persons who participate in a prohibited group gathering may discharge liability for the offence by paying a fixed penalty at $5,000.
 
(11) All local tours will be suspended.
 
     The Government will review the above social distancing measures after around seven days on whether they have effectively reduced gathering activities of the general public and thereby containing the epidemic, and consider making suitable adjustments taking into account all relevant factors.
      
     "With the co-operation of the general public, including observing the above social distancing measures, conducting tests in accordance with Compulsory Testing Notices and receiving vaccination as soon as possible, we hope that the epidemic may be contained before the Lunar New Year so as to allow the general public to enjoy the festive season in a safer environment", the spokesman said.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 5) said that it is following up on five cases tested preliminarily positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus, of which four related to an earlier case 12754 and the other one related to Moon Palace, and provides update on epidemiological investigation progress of case 12767.

     The first and second case tested preliminarily positive related to case 12754 involves two female patients, aged 59 and 37, living at Serene Court, 41 Tin Hau Temple Road, Causeway Bay. The 59-year-old female patient is a close contact of case 12754 (family member of imported case 12676 living together). She has no travel history during incubation period. She had a meal together with case 12754 at Six Garden Restaurant, G/F, 1A Gordon Road, Tin Hau on December 31, 2021. She is asymptomatic and went to a community testing centre for test in the morning on January 4. She was arranged to undergo quarantine at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre (PBQC) on the same day. Her test result subsequently tested preliminarily positive with Ct value larger than 20. She received three doses of COVID-19 vaccination (CoronaVac) on April 21, May 20 and November 29 in Hong Kong. The 37-year-old female patient is a family member living together with the 59-year-old female patient and she has no recent travel history. She is asymptomatic and was arranged to undergo quarantine at the PBQC in the small hours on January 5. Her test result subsequently tested preliminarily positive with Ct value larger than 20. She received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination (CoronaVac) on June 9 and July 7 in Hong Kong. Both patients work at Wing Yuen Tea House, G/F, 39 Peel Street, Central. They last went to work on January 1 and January 4 respectively.

     The third and fourth case related to case 12754 involves a 62-year-old female patient and a 63-year-old male patient, who live at Block 15, Provident Centre, 49 Wharf Road, North Point. The female patient is a close contact of case 12754 and they danced together between December 28 and 31, 2021 at Victoria Park and Causeway Bay Community Centre. She also had a meal gathering with the aforementioned 59-year-old female patient and case 12754 together on the same day at the Six Garden Restaurant mentioned above. She is asymptomatic and was arranged to the PBQC in the small hours on January 5. Her specimen collected on the same day tested preliminarily positive with a Ct value of about 20. She is retired and has not received COVID-19 vaccination. The 63-year-old male patient is a household contact of the 62-year-old female patient. He developed cough on January 4 and was arranged to the PBQC in the small hours on January 5. His specimen collected on the same day tested preliminarily positive with a Ct value of about 20. He works at Room 805, 8/F, Olympia Plaza, 255 King's Road, North Point, where he last went to work on January 4. The patient has not received COVID-19 vaccination.

     According to the latest epidemiological investigation, apart from case 12754 and the two female patients aged 59 and 62, the CHP found out that case 12767 announced today also had a meal at the Six Garden Restaurant during similar period of that three cases. The CHP appeals to those who had meals at Six Garden Restaurant from 8.50am to 9.50am on December 31 to call the CHP's hotlines at 2125 1111 or 2125 1122 as soon as possible to facilitate the CHP's epidemiological investigations and contact tracing. The CHP has classified the staff member of the restaurant as close contacts and will arrange them to undergo quarantine at quarantine centre.

     The case related to Moon Palace that tested preliminarily positive involves a 62-year-old female living in Rock View Gardens, 36 Tat Chee Avenue, Yau Yat Chuen, Kowloon Tong. She is retired and has no recent travel history. She had a meal at Moon Palace from around 12.30pm to 1.45pm on the same day (December 27, 2021) when the earlier cases tested positive visited the restaurant. She was arranged to conduct quarantine at the PBQC in the small hours on January 4 and her specimen collected on the same day tested preliminarily positive with a Ct value larger than 20, and the result of testing for mutant strains is pending. She developed headache on December 30. She received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination (Comirnaty) on April 12 and May 3, 2021 in Hong Kong.

     As the aforementioned cases may carry the Omicron mutant strain with higher transmissibility and risk of infection, the Government has made "restriction-testing declaration" last night for the buildings where the patients resided (Serene Court, 41 Tin Hau Temple Road, Causeway Bay, Block 15, Provident Centre, 49 Wharf Road, North Point and Rock View Gardens, 36 Tat Chee Avenue, Yau Yat Chuen, Kowloon Tong) and persons who resided or worked at the buildings will be subject to increased compulsory testing frequency. The places where they had visited during the incubation periods will also be included in a compulsory testing notice. Specified persons who were present at the relevant venues at specified periods need to undergo compulsory testing on the specified date.

     The spokesman for the CHP said, "The Government has remained vigilant and has been closely monitoring the latest scientific data on mutant strains as well as the epidemic situation of various places. The most stringent anti-epidemic measures will be implemented to prevent the mutant strains from spreading in the local community."

     â€‹At the moment, the adverse impact on the epidemic situation caused by the newly emerged mutant strains is not fully known yet, but vaccination is still essential to prevent severe cases and deaths from COVID-19 infection. The Government has launched the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. Members of the public are encouraged to get vaccinated. Details of the programme can be found at the designated website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk). ​​The CHP also urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with exposure to infection risk, to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     The spokesman for Kowloon West Cluster made the following announcement today (January 5) concerning the interruption of negative pressure system in the isolation wards of North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre (HKICC):
      
     At 11.17am today, the negative pressure system of 12 cubicles of the two isolation wards in Block E was interrupted. HKICC immediately arranged maintenance staff for inspection and follow-up. The negative pressure of both wards resumed normal at 11.49am. The reason of the interruption is still under investigation.
      
     During the incident, 46 COVID-19 patients were housed in the wards concerned. All ward staff wore appropriate personal protective equipment. There were no healthcare staff performing any high risk procedures in the wards concerned and the doors of the cubicles were kept closed. Two staff members were cleansing in a cubicle. They wore appropriate personal protective equipment and stayed in the cubicle concerned. The infection control team of HKICC considered the risk of infection is very low. As a precautionary measure, staff members who worked in the wards concerned would receive 14 days of medical surveillance.
      
     HKICC has reported the incident to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System.
      
 

　　The Government today (January 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 9.30pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in North Point (i.e. Block 15, Provident Centre, 49 Wharf Road, North Point, excluding the shops at WORFU shopping mall. 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 7.30am tomorrow (January 6).

　　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 2am 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 7.30am 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.

     Persons in the "restricted area" who have undergone testing from January 3, 2022 to January 5, 2022, 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 December 16, 2021 to January 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 January 7, 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 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 9.30pm 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 following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     In response to the rapidly changing COVID-19 outbreak, the Hospital Authority (HA) today (January 5) announced the latest arrangements to reduce the flow of people in public hospitals to strengthen infection control.
      
     "Except for compassionate reason, all public hospitals will suspend special visit arrangements beginning this Friday. Frontline healthcare staff of Accident and Emergency Departments and general out-patient clinics will also heighten vigilance. Patients should proactively provide their travel history, occupation, contact with any confirmed patient or compulsory testing requirements as well, so that healthcare staff can order the tests as required and apply appropriate infection control arrangements and personal protective equipment," an HA spokesperson said. 
      
     "There are currently close to 300 confirmed patients admitted to the hospitals. To cope with the increasing pressure of hospital admissions for newly confirmed patients, the HA has reopened the community treatment facility at the AsiaWorld-Expo on January 2 to provide 500 beds in two exhibition halls. The HA has re-examined the first tier and second tier isolation beds and intensive care facilities in public hospitals. It will also consider using more exhibition halls at the AsiaWorld-Expo to add another 500 beds if needed."
      
     The spokesperson said medical wards in public hospitals had recently reached full capacity amid the winter service surge. The HA will closely monitor the service situation and make service adjustments if necessary to ensure adequate beds and manpower to cope with the possible surge in COVID-19 patients within a short period of time.
      
     Lastly, the HA spokesperson appealed to the public to get vaccinated as early as possible. Members of the public who have not yet been vaccinated should grasp the opportunity to get vaccinated soon while vaccinated people should take a booster dose at appropriate time to minimise the risk of infection or developing severe symptoms if infected.