New mobile specimen collection station set up at Lung Poon Court in Wong Tai Sin

     The local COVID-19 epidemic situation is worsening rapidly. 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 is very concerned about a number of COVID-19 confirmed cases reported at Lung San House, Lung Poon Court in Wong Tai Sin recently. Starting from today (December 17), the Government has arranged for the testing agency, BGI, to set up a mobile specimen collection station at the basketball court of Lung Poon Court to provide testing service for residents and workers of Lung Poon Court. Operating hours are as follows: December 17 (Thursday), from 4pm to 8pm, and thereafter daily from 10am to 8pm. Tentatively, the mobile specimen collection station will operate until December 21 (Monday). The Government will decide whether it is necessary to extend the operation period of the station after reviewing its usage and public's demand for the testing service.
      
     Through mobile specimen collection stations set up earlier in Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Tong, Sha Tin, Kwai Shing, Kowloon Bay, Tai Po, Tsuen Wan, Tung Chung and Wong Chuk Hang, the Government has been providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for members of the public. After reviewing the usage and public's demand for the testing service, the Government has decided to extend the service periods of the mobile specimen collection stations at Heung Sze Wui Street in Tai Po, Sha Tsui Road in Tsuen Wan, Wong Tai Sin Square, Tung Chung North Park and Wong Chuk Hang Recreation Ground. The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing 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 COVID-19 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.