New mobile specimen collection station set up at Fung Chak House of Choi Wan (II) Estate

     With the prolonged local COVID-19 epidemic situation, the confirmed cases are distributed all over the territory. Some of the confirmed cases are asymptomatic and this indicates the existence of many silent transmission chains in the community. The Government had earlier sponsored a multi-disciplinary team of the University of Hong Kong to conduct a preliminary study on the monitoring of the COVID-19 virus level in sewage. The study revealed that the sewage samples in Fung Chak House of Choi Wan (II) Estate constantly tested positive, which implied that persons infected with COVID-19 might be present at the relevant place. The Government is very concerned about the situation, and has arranged for a testing agency to set up a mobile specimen collection station at the following location and dates. The new station would, together with the mobile specimen collection station at the basketball court next to Ming Lai House of Choi Wan (II) Estate which commenced operation on December 27, provide free testing service for residents and workers of Choi Wan (II) Estate. 
 

     The above-mentioned mobile specimen collection station will tentatively operate until December 31 (Thursday). The Government has also decided to extend the service period of the mobile specimen collection station at the basketball court next to Ming Lai House of Choi Wan (II) Estate to December 31 (Thursday). The Government will decide whether it is necessary to further extend the operation period of the stations after reviewing their usage and public's demand for the testing service. The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for the general public are at Annex.

     A Government spokesman said, "The testing agencies will provide specimen collection services by combined nasal and throat swabs at the mobile specimen collection stations for testing free of charge. Persons who are subject to compulsory testing and undergo testing at the mobile specimen collection stations will be deemed to have undergone a test at a Community Testing Centre. The mobile specimen collection stations will accord priority to provide testing service for local residents and workers who are subject to compulsory testing."

     People whose test results are negative will be informed by SMS through their mobile phones. If any specimen tested shows a preliminarily positive result, the specimen will be referred to the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Department of Health (DH) for a confirmatory test. Confirmed cases will be followed up and announced by the Centre for Health Protection of the DH.

     The spokesman urged all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with exposure to infection risk (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases) to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.