The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 8) reminded members of the public that "restriction-testing declaration" (RTD) have been made for the residences of three of the cases tested preliminarily positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus the CHP is following. The CHP strongly reminds relevant residents that they must comply with the RTD operations. Any person who fails to present an SMS notification with a test result or wear a wristband as proof of having undergone testing breaches the compulsory testing notice and may be liable to a fine of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him/her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the RTD is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.
The first case involves a 3-year-old male patient living in Tower 1, Jupiter Terrace, 18 Jupiter Street, Causeway Bay and studies at Hong Kong Ling Liang Church Kindergarten at 6 Leighton Lane, Causeway Bay. He last went to school on January 3 and has no recent travel history. He had breakfast at Six Garden Restaurant with case 12821 on December 31, 2021. The patient was arranged to conduct quarantine at Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre on January 4. He developed fever on January 7 and his specimen collected on the same day tested preliminarily positive. The kindergarten he attends has three other children who developed upper respiratory tract infection symptoms and will be covered in a compulsory testing notice to exclude the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. The school has also been advised to carry out cleaning and suspend teaching activities for at least 14 days.
The second case involves a 71-year-old female patient living in Block B, Flora Garden, 50 Cloud View Road, North Point who is retired and has no recent travel history. She visited the workplace of cases 12825 and 12880 on January 3. She is asymptomatic. She went to a community testing centre on January 7 for test in accordance with the relevant compulsory testing notice and tested preliminarily positive. She received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination (CoronaVac) on July 8 and August 9, 2021 in Hong Kong.
The third case involves a 39-year-old female patient living in Shun Yat House, Yat Tung (II) Estate, 8 Yat Tung Road, Tung Chung. She is a part-time cleaning worker at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). She has no recent travel history and last went to work on January 6. Her job requires that she conduct frequent regular testing and the ten tests she took during December 11, 2021 to January 4, 2022 all carried negative results. She developed fever, fatigue and muscle pain on January 7. She attended the North Lantau Hospital on the same day and provided deep throat saliva for tests. She also did a test at the HKIA mobile testing centre later. The samples taken both tested preliminarily positive. The Ct value of the deep throat saliva sample was about 17. She received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination (Comirnaty) on June 28 and July 22, 2021 in Hong Kong.
The Government has made "restriction-testing declaration" tonight for the buildings where the patients resided (Tower 1, Jupiter Terrace, 18 Jupiter Street, Causeway Bay; Block B, Flora Garden, 50 Cloud View Road, North Point and Shun Yat House, Yat Tung (II) Estate, 8 Yat Tung Road, Tung Chung) 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."
​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.
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