The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for the New Territories West Cluster (NTWC) made the following announcement today (December 23) regarding a visitor tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19:

     The NTWC received notification from the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health that a 64-year-old male who underwent COVID-19 testing yesterday (December 22) was tested preliminarily positive and was suspected to be involving Omicron mutant strain. The male attended consultation at Tuen Mun Wu Hong Clinic in the morning on December 13, and he also accompanied another person to the Specialist-Out-Patient Clinic of the Department of Oncology in Tuen Mun Hospital in the morning of December 17 and 20. He had been wearing surgical mask all along.

     Upon learning the test result of the visitor, hospital infection control team has immediately conducted contact tracing. Around 100 staff members have to undergo testing. All staff members have been wearing masks during work and therefore no staff member was identified as close contact. Also, thorough cleansing and disinfection at areas that the patient visited will be conducted. The NTWC will continue to closely monitor the health condition of staff members and communicate with the CHP on the latest situation.

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) mounted a wild pig capture operation at Kotewall Road in Central and Western District today (December 23) with a view to reducing the number of wild pigs there and safeguarding public safety.

     An AFCD spokesman said that the department started the wild pig capture operation at Kotewall Road at 6pm this evening. Veterinarians used dart guns to capture five wild pigs for humane dispatch through medicine injection. The operation was completed at 8.30pm.

     The AFCD will continue to carry out wild pig capture operations and accord priority to sites with multiple numbers of wild pigs, areas with a history of injury cases or areas where wild pigs may pose risks to members of the public.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (December 23) said that it is investigating a preliminary positive imported-related case of COVID-19 involving a mutant strain.

     The case involves a 64-year-old male patient living at On Hei House, Siu Hei Court, Tuen Mun. He is a toilet cleaner working at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). The patient received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination on July 10 and August 10 (CoronaVac) in Hong Kong. According to his job nature, he has to undergo frequent regular COVID-19 testing and he tested negative in 10 tests during December 2 to 20. His specimen collected yesterday (December 22) in the mobile specimen collection station at HKIA tested preliminarily positive with a Ct value about 27 to 32. He developed symptoms on the same day. Testing by the DH's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch revealed that the spike protein gene of the patient's sample involves N501Y and T478K mutations (negative for the L452R and E484K strains), hence the CHP suspects at this stage that the patient carries the Omicron variant, but a whole genome sequencing still needs to be conducted to confirm whether the patient carries the Omicron variant.

     A preliminary investigation revealed that he has no recent travel history and he mainly performed cleaning and disinfection work at a designated toilet solely for use by preliminary positive imported cases confined at a designated area at the Midfield Concourse of HKIA while waiting for transfer to hospital. He last went to work on December 22. He had stayed inside the storeroom situated inside the toilet during work and had been in the toilet with preliminary positive cases at the same time. The CHP has conducted a site visit at HKIA today and collected 26 environmental samples at the storeroom, a changing room and a restroom used by the patient with the test results pending.

     A preliminary investigation showed that the patient has likely acquired the infection during his work at the toilet for preliminary positive cases. In view of the relatively high Ct value and multiple negative tests in the past 21 days, the case was likely detected at a very early stage of infection by regular testing.

     The CHP has advised the Airport Authority Hong Kong and the contractor concerned that the cleaners should only perform cleaning and disinfection work after the preliminary positive cases have left the toilet after use, and the cleaners should not stay inside the storeroom in toilet when they are not performing work.

     As the patient carries a mutant strain with higher transmissibility and risk of infection, the Government has made a "restriction-testing declaration" tonight for the building where the patient resided in Hong Kong (On Hei House, Siu Hei Court, Tuen Mun) and persons who resided or worked at the building will be subject to increased compulsory testing frequency. The places where he had visited in Hong Kong during the incubation period will also be included in a compulsory testing notice. Specified persons who were present at the relevant venues at specified periods need to undergo compulsory testing on the specified date. An epidemiological investigation and contact tracing of the case will continue.

     The spokesman for the CHP said, "The Government has remained vigilant and has been closely monitoring the latest scientific data on mutant strains as well as the epidemic situation of various places. The most stringent anti-epidemic measures will be implemented to prevent the mutant strain from spreading in the local community."

     â€‹At the moment, the adverse impact on the epidemic situation caused by the newly emerged mutant strains is not fully known yet, but vaccination is still essential to prevent severe cases and deaths from COVID-19 infection. The Government has launched the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. Members of the public are encouraged to get vaccinated. Details of the programme can be found at the designated website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk).

     â€‹The Government today (December 23) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" (declaration) effective from 7.30pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tuen Mun (i.e. On Hei House (Block A), Siu Hei Court, 201 Wu Chui Road, Tuen Mun. See Annex) are 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. The Government aims at finishing this exercise at about 7am tomorrow (December 24).
     
     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. As a preliminary positive case who has lived in the abovementioned building was detected today, and the preliminary test result involved a mutant strain, the risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher, so the Government decided to make a 'restriction-testing declaration' for the relevant area after the test result was found to be positive."
     
     The Government will set up temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 1.30am tomorrow. Arrangements will be made for persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo a nucleic acid test at specimen collection stations where dedicated staff will collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs. Persons subject to compulsory testing must stay at their place of residence until all test results are ascertained to avoid cross-infection risk. The Government will arrange for door-to-door specimen collection for people with impaired mobility and elderly persons.
     
     The Government spokesman said, "We understand that this exercise will cause inconvenience to the public. The Government has made arrangements to carry out testing for all persons present in the 'restricted area' as soon as possible. The aim is to strive to complete testing of all identified persons subject to compulsory testing and confirm the results, and finish the exercise at around 7am tomorrow. The Government will make a public announcement when the declaration expires officially. In the cases in which employees are unable to go to work because of the declaration, the Government hopes their employers can exercise discretion and not deduct the salaries or benefits of the employees."
     
     If staying in the "restricted area" will cause unreasonable hardship to individuals who are not residents in the area when the declaration takes effect, government officers may exercise discretion and allow that person to leave the area after considering the individual circumstances. That person must have followed the instructions to undergo testing and leave his/her personal information for contact purposes.
     
     Persons in the "restricted area" who have undergone testing from December 21 to 23, 2021, and are able to provide the SMS notification through a mobile phone or related certification containing the test results, are not required to take the test again. However, they are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the area have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained. Also, according to the compulsory testing notice to be issued today, any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from December 1 to 23, 2021, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before December 25, 2021. As a mutant strain is involved, for prudence's sake, vaccinated persons are also required to undergo testing.
     
     In addition, in accordance with the latest arrangement, persons who resided in the same building as the confirmed local case carrying variants of concern are required to undergo compulsory testing on the 3rd day, 7th day, 12th day and 19th day counting from the day subsequent to that when the relevant confirmed case last stayed in that building before being admitted to hospital for treatment or leaving Hong Kong.
     
     The Home Affairs Department has set up a hotline (Tel: 2835 1473) which starts operation at 7.30pm today for residents restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance. The Social Welfare Department will also provide assistance to the affected persons.
     
     The Government appeals to persons subject to compulsory testing for their full co-operation by registering and undergoing testing, and waiting for the results patiently at home. The Government will strictly follow up on whether the persons concerned have complied with the compulsory testing notices and "restriction-testing declaration". Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would 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 compulsory testing order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today (December 23) laid a charge against a Mainland fisherman on board a Mainland fishing vessel suspected of engaging in illegal fishing in Hong Kong waters north of Wong Mau Chau.

     AFCD and the Marine Police officers mounted a joint anti-illegal fishing operation in the above-mentioned waters last night (December 22), a Mainland fishing vessel suspected to be carrying out illegal fishing by cage traps was intercepted for investigation at about 8.30pm. Some fishing gear was seized on board.

     A charge was laid against the Mainland fisherman, who was suspected to have violated the Fisheries Protection Ordinance (Cap. 171) (the Ordinance). The case will be mentioned at Fanling Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (December 24).

     Only vessels registered under the Ordinance can be used for fishing in Hong Kong waters. Regardless of the type of fishing gear used, a non-local fishing vessel is not allowed to carry out fishing activities in Hong Kong waters. Any offender upon conviction is liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     An AFCD spokesman said, "The Government is committed to cracking down on illegal fishing activities in Hong Kong waters. The AFCD will maintain close co-operation with relevant law enforcement departments and step up patrols and stringently enforce the law."