The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesman for the Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (March 5) that out-patient non-emergency services of Kowloon West Cluster (KWC) will be adjusted gradually starting from next Monday (March 7). The Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) will also adjust the service arrangement of donor centres to concentrate manpower and resources to combat the epidemic.

     KWC reviewed the latest epidemic situation and decided to adjust the services of medicine specialist out-patient clinics (SOPCs), some general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) and allied health out-patient clinics so as to focus on emergency and essential services.

     The Cluster Chief Executive of KWC, Dr Alexander Law said, "the epidemic situation is extremely severe now. Service curtailment can concentrate manpower for the fight against epidemic and also reduce the flow of people and risk of cross infection."

     The medicine SOPCs of KWC will focus on treatment for patients with urgent needs. Non-urgent appointments will be rescheduled and drug refill arrangement without doctor consultation will be offered for patients required follow-up.

     The GOPCs service under KWC including the Yan Chai Hospital General Practice Clinic, Caritas Medical Centre Family Medicine Clinic will also be adjusted. Drug refill arrangement will be offered for chronic disease patients with stable condition who require follow-up. Patients who are in need can also seek consultation at other GOPCs in the district. The evening out-patient services of the North Lantau Community Health Centre will be suspended. Chronic disease patients with stable condition will be arranged for drug refill at day time.

     Services for allied health out-patient clinics will be reduced. Physiotherapy service will focus on emergency or urgent trauma and post-operative rehabilitation, treatment for discharge patients including ambulation training, walking aids prescription, arrangement of outreach ventilators and provision of supporting services through telecare and the like. Occupational therapy service will focus on acute trauma treatment, post-operative care, home oxygen therapy and carer training for discharged elderly and arrangement of assistive devices. Those clinics will contact the patients affected for rescheduling appointments.

     Besides, the service arrangement of some BTS donor centres will also be adjusted from today onwards:
 

• Sze Pang Nien Memorial Headquarters Donor Centre and Wan Chai Donor Centre will suspend service;
• Service hours of Mong Kok, Kwun Tong, Causeway Bay and Tsuen Wan donor centres will change to 11am to 7pm, while the service hours of other donor centres remain unchanged.

 
     The HA appeals to the public to understand the need for the service adjustment arrangements and apologises to the patients affected.

     â€‹The Mainland expert delegation led by the Head of the National Health Commission's COVID-19 leading task force, Professor Liang Wannian, continued its visit in Hong Kong today (March 5). They visited a community testing centre as well as community isolation and treatment facilities in Hong Kong to get a better picture on the workflow and actual implementation of identifying confirmed cases, isolation and treatment for those contracted COVID-19 in the city.

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, Professor Liang and some members of the delegation started their itinerary at the community testing centre located at To Kwa Wan Sports Centre to learn about its operation, service arrangements and specimen collection process, and to see how Hong Kong worked towards early identification of COVID-19 infected persons through an extensive network of convenient service points for testing.

     They then proceeded to the community isolation facility (CIF) in Tsing Yi. The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, and representatives of the Civil Aid Service and the Hospital Authority (HA) were also present. Professor Chan briefed the delegation members the work of HA staff at the CIF. The Tsing Yi CIF is mainly for the admission of infected persons with no or mild symptoms. Apart from visiting the CIF, the delegation also received briefing by relevant representatives on the operation of the CIF and Hong Kong's strategy in community isolation.

     The rest of the expert delegation first visited the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre. They then, accompanied by representatives of the HA and the Social Welfare Department (SWD), visited the community treatment facility as well as the community isolation facility serving the elderly and people with disabilities from residential care homes in the AsiaWorld-Expo to learn about the operation of the sections managed by the HA and the SWD respectively.

     Professor Chan said, "The Mainland expert delegation led by Professor Liang, together with the task force of Mainland epidemiologists and the Guangdong COVID-19 medical expert delegation that had arrived in Hong Kong, provided us with valuable advices and guidance on Hong Kong's anti-epidemic work during their inspection here. The guidance offered in respect of the actual situation in Hong Kong by the delegation helped the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to analyse the epidemic development and reinforce the measures in 'early identification, early isolation and early treatment'. That is one of the key support extended by the Central Government to Hong Kong."

     Led by Professor Liang, the delegation came to Hong Kong on February 28. They were joined by the four epidemiological experts who arrived in Hong Kong earlier to conduct visits in Hong Kong.

              

     The Government announced today (March 5) that in order to fight the coronavirus epidemic, the Environmental Protection Department and the Drainage Services Department in collaboration with the cross-disciplinary team of the University of Hong Kong had strengthened the sampling of sewage for virus testing in all districts, and had detected positive results in many areas, indicating that there may be hidden cases in the premises within these areas.

Rapid test

    As regards positive sewage testing results with relatively high viral loads in the following areas, the respective District Offices will distribute over 180 000 sets of COVID-19 rapid test kits to a total of about 180 000 residents, cleansing workers and property management staff working in the following areas starting from tomorrow (March 6) for them to take the test on their own, in order to help identifying infected persons:
 

• Southern District – Tin Wan Estate, Hung Fuk Court, Ka Wo Building, Shek Pai Wan Estate, Yue Fai Court and Yue Kwong Chuen
• Wong Tai Sin District – King Hin Court, Sun Lai Garden, Choi Fung Court and Fu Shan Estate
• Kowloon City District – Oi Man Estate, Chun Man Court, Ultima, Dragon View, Greenfield Terrace, Parc Regal, Carmel On The Hill, Harbourfront Landmark, Chun Seen Mei Chuen, Beverly Villas, The Zumurud, The Astoria, Parc Inverness and Cascades
• Yau Tsim Mong District – Parc Palais, King's Park Villa, The Victoria Towers, New Lucky House, Alhambra Building, National Court, United Mansion, Lucky House, Honour House, Carmen's Garden, Tower 1-3 Grand Austin, Metro Harbour View, Island Harbourview, Cosmopolitan Estates, The Long Beach and Hing Wong Mansion
• Wan Chai District/Eastern District – Residential premises near Victoria Park and Tin Hau areas (see Annex)
• Sham Shui Po District – Nam Shan Estate, Parc Oasis, Tai Hang Tung Estate, Tai Hang Sai Estate, Village Gardens, Mount Beacon, Ample Building, Rose Court, Fa Po Villa, Elite Villa and Begonia Court
• Tai Po District – Fu Tip Estate, Tai Po Building, Tai Po Garden, Tse Chong Building, Mountain View Court, Central Plaza, Wing Cheung Building, Wing Fu Building, Po Nga Court, Parc Versailles, Po Heung Estate, Mei Tak Building, Kam Shan, Bong Hing Building, Tai Wo Building, Sui Cheung Building, Kam Fu Building and Shek Ku Lung

     Members of the public may refer to (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzFAUzTtmKk) for enquiries relating to the use of the rapid test kits.

     When using a rapid test kit, please pay attention to and follow the instructions from the manufacturer to perform the test and read the result properly. It is advisable to record the displayed result by taking a photo immediately after reading. Users should wash their hands before and after performing the tests, and avoid placing non-essential items within the specimen collection area. After completing the test, wrap and seal all components of the test kit carefully and dispose properly. If the household environment is contaminated during the specimen collecting process, disinfection should be conducted with 1 in 49 diluted bleach solution or 70 per cent alcohol.

     If people living or working in the above areas are tested positive with the rapid test kits, they may call 2280 4772, the Government's 24-hour hotline for "persons tested positive with rapid antigen tests in areas with positive sewage testing results" to arrange door-to-door delivery of RAT kits and/or a nasal swab self-sampling kit free of charge. If people wish to undergo PCR testing, they may collect nasal swab specimen and arrange door-to-door collection of the specimen for PCR testing. When severe symptoms (e.g. prolonged fever at 38 degrees Celsius or above, or signs such as shortness of breath, palpitations, chest pain) are developed, members of the public are urged to call the 999 hotline for arranging ambulance transfer to hospital as early as possible.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     â€‹As at 0.00am today (March 5), a total of 7 215 patients who tested positive or preliminarily positive for COVID-19 are currently being treated in the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, the Hospital Authority (HA) Infectious Disease Centre, the Community Treatment Facility at AsiaWorld-Expo and public hospitals. There were 745 patients discharged. 150 patients passed away. Including 70 previously unannounced cases, a total of 1 766 patients have passed away in public hospitals so far. All cases have been confirmed by the Centre for Health Protection. 

     There are currently around 2 400 patients isolated in the Community Isolation Facility in Penny's Bay.      

     The HA will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.

     â€‹The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (March 5) announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am, March 5, the CHP was investigating 13 000 additional confirmed cases, 5 920 additional asymptomatic cases and 18 609 cases with pending case status in the past 24 hours (i.e. there were 37 529 additional cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in those 24 hours). Hong Kong has recorded a total of 440 609 cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus so far.

     The newly reported cases consist of six imported cases and 37 523 locally acquired cases. The CHP is continuing with epidemiological investigations on the cases.

     As at 4pm today, a total of 361 775 cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus had been reported in the past 14 days (February 19 to March 4), including 361 669 locally acquired cases and 106 imported cases. A list of buildings related to the cases is available at the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

     Furthermore, among the earlier cases reported, there were cases (including pending cases) changed to confirmed, asymptomatic or re-positive cases. As at yesterday (March 4), the total number of confirmed cases was 174 478, while the figures for asymptomatic cases, re-positive cases, pending/unknown cases recorded since January 1 were 75 925, 10 and 152 667 respectively.

     People with positive or preliminary positive COVID-19 nucleic acid test results will receive an SMS notification about the result, together with a request to fill in an electronic form (www.chp.gov.hk/cdpi) to submit information, including those on family members living in the same household. This is to facilitate the work of the CHP such as epidemiological investigation and arrangement of hospital admission, isolation and quarantine. People who receive the relevant SMS should check the personal information and information on testing in the SMS carefully and fill in the electronic form as soon as possible to provide accurate and complete information.

     The spokesman for the CHP stressed that the local situation of COVID-19 infection became severe recently and there is a continuous increase in the number of cases involving mutant strains that carry higher transmissibility. With the higher transmissibility and risk of infection of the Omicron mutant strain, the CHP strongly appeals to the community to continue to comply with the social distancing measures, avoid going out and refrain from participating in unnecessary or crowded activities or gatherings (particularly religious or cross-family activities and gatherings). This would lower the risk of infection and prevent the virus from spreading in the community.

     The spokesman reminded that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe cases and deaths from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They can provide effective protection to those vaccinated in preventing serious complications and even death after infection. People who are yet to receive vaccination, especially senior citizens, chronic patients and other immunocompromised persons who face a higher chance of death after COVID-19 infection, should get vaccinated as early as possible for self-protection and to reduce the risk of falling seriously ill and death should they get infected. Meanwhile, a person who gets COVID-19 and influenza at the same time may be more seriously ill and would have a higher risk of death. Influenza vaccination may reduce the likelihood of hospitalisation and the length of stay. In addition, seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 6 months or above except those with known contraindications. Persons at higher risk of getting influenza and its complications, including the elderly and children, should receive seasonal influenza vaccination early. Please see details of the vaccination schemes on the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/17980.html).