CHP investigates five additional confirmed cases of COVID-19

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 0.00am, December 6, the CHP was investigating five additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 12 467 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 12 466 confirmed cases and one probable case).

     The newly reported cases are imported cases which involved mutant strains. The patients comprise three males and two females, aged 29 to 48. Three of them arrived in Hong Kong from Group A specified places (high-risk) and two from then Group B specified places (medium-risk). Case 12472 is a close contact of an imported case confirmed previously (case 12436) and she tested positive at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre. Of the remaining patients, one of them tested positive during the "test-and-hold" arrangement upon arrival at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre at Hong Kong International Airport and the other three tested positive during quarantine.

     A total of 60 cases have been reported in the past 14 days (November 22 to December 5) and all of them are imported cases.

     The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

     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)."