Author Archives: hksar gov

      The Government yesterday (March 21) 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 Kwai Chung (i.e. Shing Yat House, Kwai Shing East Estate, Kwai Chung, excluding non-domestic units at podium level and other levels below podium) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained.
 
     Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from March 8 to March 21, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before March 23, 2022. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 11am today (March 22) and carried out enforcement action in the “restricted area” afterwards to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 12.30pm today.
    
     Staff from the Environment Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department, the Home Affairs Department (including the Kwai Tsing District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Department of Health took part in this exercise to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
 
     The Government provided food packs for persons subject to compulsory testing to facilitate their meal arrangements. Anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines donated by the Central Government and rapid antigen test kits were also distributed to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
　
     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 11am today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result or wore a wristband as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 12.30pm. Test records of around 100 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Twelve persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
 
     The Government reminds the about 80 households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
 
     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
 
     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more

     A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (March 22) said that its Airport Food Inspection Offices (AFIOs) in Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal, 3 Chun Wan Road, and in Terminal 2, Asia Airfreight Terminal, will be temporarily closed this afternoon for thorough cleaning and disinfection because a staff member of the FEHD received a positive result when undergoing a COVID-19 rapid antigen test. Services are expected to gradually resume later in the afternoon after the completion of cleaning and disinfection work.

     The staff member concerned is a health inspector of the FEHD and last performed duties on March 21. The staff member has been wearing masks and following relevant disease prevention measures at work.

     The FEHD has arranged thorough cleaning and disinfection work at relevant places in accordance with the Centre for Health Protection’s advice, and will arrange for the staff concerned to undergo COVID-19 testing. Importers seeking consignment clearances may proceed to the AFIO located at South Office Block, Super Terminal 1, HACTL, Hong Kong International Airport.

     The FEHD has been strictly implementing disease prevention measures during the epidemic. Staff members are reminded to pay attention to personal hygiene and to stay vigilant. They should seek medical advice immediately if they develop symptoms of COVID-19. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: 

     â€‹Result of the tenders of the People’s Bank of China RMB Bills held on March 22, 2022:
 

     The Government yesterday (March 21) 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 4pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Sheung Shui (i.e. Choi Lai House, Choi Yuen Estate, Sheung Shui, excluding non-domestic units on G/F) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the “restricted area” had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained.
 
     Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from March 8 to March 21, 2022, even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before March 23, 2022.
 
     The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 10am today (March 22) and carried out enforcement action in the “restricted area” afterwards to verify that all people in the “restricted area” had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around noon today.
 
     The Government provided food packs for persons subject to compulsory testing, so as to facilitate their meal arrangements. Anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines donated by the Central Government and rapid antigen test kits were also distributed to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
 
     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 10am today, the Government took enforcement action in the “restricted area” immediately to verify that all people in the “restricted area” undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result or wore wristbands as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around noon. Test records of 171 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Fourteen persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the “restriction-testing declaration” in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
 
     The Government reminds the 166 households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.

     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.

     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the “restriction-testing declaration” by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the “restriction-testing declaration” is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more

     The Government yesterday (March 21) 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 6pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Kwun Tong (i.e. Kin On House, Hing On House and Fu On House, Wo Lok Estate, Kwun Tong) 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. All persons in the “restricted area” who were tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus on or after December 31, 2021 were not required to undergo testing in this compulsory testing exercise.

     In addition, the Government had issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person, other than those specified above, who had been present at the building for more than two hours from March 8 to March 21, 2022 to undergo compulsory testing on or before March 23, 2022 even if they were not present in the “restricted area” at the time when the declaration took effect. As a mutant strain is involved, for prudence’s sake, vaccinated persons and persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing. The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around noon today (March 22) 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 noon today, persons in the specified “restricted area” in Kwun Tong who have undergone testing and are able to present SMS notifications with negative test results or 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 11pm yesterday. Around 690 people within the area had undergone testing, among which 24 cases tested preliminarily positive and one case tested indeterminate were found. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will arrange to follow up.

     Regarding cases tested preliminarily positive in the specified “restricted area”, the Government has provided additional food packs, disinfection products and surgical masks to these persons and their household members pending follow-up arrangement.

     Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit 336 households, among which 42 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 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more