The Government yesterday (April 30) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 3pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Ap Lei Chau (i.e. Tung On House, Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau, excluding social service unit and car park thereat) were 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.
In addition, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from April 24 to 30, 2022, to undergo compulsory testing on or before May 2, 2022, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect. The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 11am today (May 1) and is now carrying out enforcement actions in the "restricted area" to verify that all people in the "restricted area" have undergone compulsory testing. The Government will further announce the revocation time of the declaration.
Starting from around 11am today, persons in the specified "restricted area" in Ap Lei Chau who have undergone testing and are able to present SMS notifications with negative test results and wear wristbands as proof of having undergone testing may leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer.
The Government set up temporary specimen collection stations in the "restricted area" yesterday and requested persons subject to compulsory testing to collect combined nasal and throat swab samples at the stations to undergo a COVID-19 virus test before 9pm yesterday. 1 541 people within the area had undergone testing, among which five cases tested positive were found. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will arrange to follow up.
The Government provided food packs for persons subject to compulsory testing so as to facilitate the meal arrangements of persons subject to compulsory testing. Rapid antigen test kits, as well as anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines supplied by the Central People's Government, were also provided to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit 697 households within the "restricted area", among which 103 households did not answer the door. The Government will take measures to follow up.
The Government reiterates that enforcement actions will be taken seriously. 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 $10,000. 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 "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.
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