The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority today (April 3) announced information regarding patients who tested positive via admission screening or testing with patients or staff members identified as close contacts and nosocomial COVID-19 infection cases:

     The following are the statistics of patients who tested positive via admission screening or by testing in public hospitals with patients or staff members identified as close contacts:
 

     The following are the statistics of clusters of nosocomial infection cases in public hospitals:
 

     Thorough cleaning and disinfection operations have been performed in the affected areas by hospitals. The hospitals will continue to closely monitor the health condition of patients and staff members, and communicate with the Centre for Health Protection on the latest situation.

     The Task Force of Supplies from the Mainland led by the Transport and Housing Bureau (THB) has been working closely with the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government to explore various means to stabilise the supply of goods from the Mainland to Hong Kong. In addition to road transport arrangements, transportation of goods by water and railway is already in service.
 
     A spokesperson for the THB said that the "Sea Express" water transportation service from the Mainland to Hong Kong has been fully launched and its capacity is rising to increase the supplies of fresh food, other daily necessities and manufacturing materials. The current supply of fresh food from the Mainland is stable.
 
     Currently, there are three water transportation routes between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, namely (1) from Shenzhen Yantian International Container Terminals to Hong Kong Kwai Tsing Container Terminals (KTCT); (2) from Shenzhen DaChan Bay Terminals to KTCT; and (3) from China Merchants Port (South China) Management Center (Shenzhen Mawan, Shekou and Chiwan Container Terminals) to Hong Kong River Trade Terminal and elsewhere. Together with the water transportation routes from other cities in Guangdong Province, including the routes from Guangzhou Lianhuashan Port, Zhongshan Huangpu Port and Zhuhai Doumen Port to Hong Kong Tuen Mun Chu Kong Pier, the water transport capacity amounts to tens of thousands of tonnes daily.
 
     The spokesperson said today (April 3) that Shenzhen transported around 5 810 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cross-boundary supplies by water yesterday (April 2), equivalent to about 21 250 tonnes of goods, of which around 10 TEUs (about 50 tonnes) were fresh food and around 5 800 TEUs (about 21 200 tonnes) were non-fresh food, according to information from the Mainland authorities.
 
     Since the launch of services from the three ports in Shenzhen since February 18 to yesterday, a total of around 104 230 TEUs of cross-boundary supplies have been transported, equivalent to about 718 970 tonnes of goods, of which around 1 090 TEUs (about 9 800 tonnes) were fresh food and around 103 140 TEUs (about 709 170 tonnes) were non-fresh food.
 
     As for rail cargo, mainly anti-epidemic supplies are being transported at the moment. Six TEUs with a total of 12 tonnes of goods were transported to Hong Kong yesterday. Since its launch on March 2 and up to yesterday, more than 1 390 tonnes of goods including anti-epidemic supplies such as COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits and protective gowns were transported to Hong Kong.
 
     To further ensure a stable goods supply to Hong Kong through land transport, a trial run of cargo transfer was conducted by the THB at a yard situated on Kam Pok Road, San Tin, Yuen Long, and it was completed smoothly. The THB will continue to work with the Mainland authorities to fully take forward cargo transfer arrangements on the Hong Kong side. It is a contingency measure in response to the latest epidemic situation in the city so as to reduce the risk of epidemic transmission in both the Mainland and Hong Kong, ensuring both smooth cross-boundary land transport and a stable goods supply to Hong Kong.
 
     Meanwhile, to avoid a spillover of the epidemic, the Transport Department (TD) has arranged for dedicated staff to conduct RATs for cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers at various land boundary control points (BCPs) from February 28 onwards. Only drivers with a negative result are allowed to enter the Mainland. In order to further improve the accuracy of the tests, the TD has already replaced the RATs with rapid nucleic acid tests at the BCPs. A total of 1 459 rapid nucleic acid tests were conducted yesterday in which two drivers preliminarily tested positive. The TD has passed the cases to the Department of Health for follow-up.
 
     The THB will closely monitor the situation and co-operate with the Mainland authorities to facilitate and implement various measures to ensure a stable goods supply to Hong Kong, with a view to complementing the supply through road, water and railway transport, enhancing the capacity and efficiency as well as optimising the flow of cross-boundary supplies.

     â€‹The Government today (April 3) 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 5pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Kwun Tong (i.e. Choi Lok House, Choi Fook Estate, Kwun Tong, excluding elderly centre on G/F, 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 1pm tomorrow (April 4). The operation may be extended depending on test results.
 
     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. As the sewage discharged from the above building tested positive for COVID-19, it is suspected that there are asymptomatic patients in the building. Given the risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher, the Government decided to make a 'restriction-testing declaration' for the relevant area."
 
     The Government sets up temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 9.30pm today. 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. All persons in the "restricted area" who have tested positive in the past three months, including positive cases identified either by nucleic acid tests recorded by the Department of Health (DH) or by rapid antigen tests that have been self-declared to the DH, will not be required to undergo testing in this compulsory testing exercise.
 
     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 1pm 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.
 
     According to the compulsory testing notice to be issued today, any persons other than those specified above who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from March 21 to April 3, 2022, 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 April 5, 2022. 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.
 
     In addition, the Water Supplies Department has set up hotlines (Tel: 9546 2501 or 9867 3814) which have started operation at 5pm 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 $10,000. 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 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     The Government today (April 3) 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 4pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tin Shui Wai (i.e. Shing Yuk House and Shing Chun House, Tin Shing Court, Tin Shui Wai, 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 around 1pm tomorrow (April 4). The operation may be extended depending on test results.

     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. As the sewage discharged from the above buildings tested positive for COVID-19, it is suspected that there are asymptomatic patients in the buildings. Given the risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher, the Government decided to make a 'restriction-testing declaration' for the relevant area."

     The Government will set up temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 9pm today. 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. All persons in the "restricted area" who have tested positive in the past three months, including positive cases identified either by nucleic acid tests recorded by the Department of Health (DH) or by rapid antigen tests that have been self-declared to the DH, will not be required to undergo testing in this compulsory testing exercise.

     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 1pm 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.

     According to the compulsory testing notice to be issued today, any person other than those specified above who had been present at the above buildings for more than two hours from March 21 to April 3, 2022, 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 April 5, 2022. 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 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 $10,000. 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 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, held a press conference on anti-epidemic measures this morning (April 3). Also joining were the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, and the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority, Dr Tony Ko. Following is the transcript of remarks of the press conference:

Reporter: Good morning. I would like to ask, some residents living in subdivided flats have said that they can only receive one anti-COVID pack yesterday. And how can the operation be improved in these circumstances? Also, would you please elaborate on the necessity to waive CE (Chief Executive) hopefuls from abiding with the social-distancing rules? Is this needed when so many meetings could be conducted via videoconferencing? Lastly, we will like to ask how would authorities make sure that people know whether they are suitable to take those traditional Chinese medicine pills in the free packages, given that the experts have advised a wider use of Chinese medicine for patients recovering at home? Thank you.

Chief Executive: Thank you for the three questions. First of all, we started distributing the anti-epidemic service bags yesterday. Out of the estimated 3.5 million bags, I was told that we have distributed almost 1.3 million bags, despite the original target to have all these distributed within a period of seven days. We are distributing them on a household basis, but my colleagues and myself are very liberal. When we delivered a bag, especially to the grassroots families living in buildings where there isn't any building management, we always asked about how many family members in the household. If we were told that they had  four or five, then we would give them an extra bag. That's exactly what I did yesterday at Sai Ying Pun. There were at least two or three families with a household size of four or five, so we immediately provided a second bag to the families. For those families, whether they are living in subdivided units or in other living conditions, if they want to have an extra bag because of the size of the family or for other reasons, they could always go to the 90 service stations we are going to set up, I think on April 6 (should be April 7), serving two purposes. One is for those whom we could not reach when we visited them during our door-knocking. We would normally leave behind either a letter or a card with the information for them to collect the service bag from these stations. Secondly, we want everyone to do the RAT, the rapid antigen test, on a daily basis from April 8 to April 10, and if somehow they have used up their RAT kits which we have provided in the bag then they are also welcome to go to one of these stations to pick up some extra rapid antigen test kits. Ultimately we want everybody to be well provided and resourced in this situation. The Government will consider all means to make available the packs or the RAT kits to those residents in need.

     About the CE Election, today is the beginning of the nomination period. At the press conference yesterday, I was asked by a reporter that if a prospective CE candidate who wants to get sufficient nominations from the Election Committee (EC) – and the threshold is quite high, the candidate has to receive 188 nominations from the group of 1 460-something EC members – then the candidate will have to approach the EC members and explain his manifesto and maybe make connections and so on. Under the current very stringent social-distancing measures, particularly these two – one is the group gathering limitation to a group of two persons, the other is really a very stringent measure we introduced in February and that is prohibiting cross-family gatherings – you could imagine if a prospective candidate has to reach maybe five or six or seven EC members, they will be coming from different families, so it would not be possible for the prospective candidate to do that sort of appeal or participation in gatherings to talk about his vision and so on. I said yesterday that we will find a way, and actually we found a way and the way is provided by the legislation. There's always an exemption mechanism in the relevant regulations made under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance, that is Chapter 599 of the Laws of Hong Kong. The power has been delegated to the Chief Secretary for Administration. So yesterday, the Chief Secretary for Administration, having considered the nature of these CE Election activities as well as the importance of the CE Election, and that it is in the overall interests of Hong Kong, to make those exemptions from the two regulations that I have just mentioned. I hope people will realise that this is a very important occasion for Hong Kong and we would like to see the prospective candidates having the opportunity to seek sufficient nominations during the nomination period and thereafter, for those who have been validated as a CE candidate, to participate in all sorts of electioneering activities. The exemptions granted by the Chief Secretary for Administration were very well justified.

     As far as the use of Chinese medicine is concerned, the Secretary for Food and Health has given you a full account. It is not entirely something new. Many Hong Kong people love to use Chinese medicine, whether proprietary medicine or prescription. Particularly in this term of Government Sophia and myself are very committed to promoting the  development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong and that's why I announced, for the first time in Hong Kong's history, that Chinese medicine has been included into the public health system. Previously, they belonged to the private sector, but now they are part and parcel of the public health system. But of course, for historical reasons and the sort of predominance of the Western medicine, it needs a long time to catch up. And this anti-epidemic fight has actually given us this opportunity to speed up the catching-up, to get Hong Kong people more familiar with the Chinese medicine, the benefits and the use of Chinese medicine, and also to supply them with the Chinese medicine, whether through proprietary Chinese medicine tablets that we are providing in the bags or through telemedicine service provided by the Hong Kong Baptist University as well as the alliance of the Chinese medicine practitioners in Hong Kong. 

     But anybody who uses any medicine will have to consult  their doctor, they will have to read the warning notice on the medicine, including proprietary Chinese medicine. For the two packets of proprietary Chinese medicine we put into the service bag, they are not for prevention, they are for a curative purpose, especially at the early stage of the infection. If you read the warning notices in the boxes, it's all very clear. This wide use of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong has to be based on science, based on efficacy and based on consumer education and understanding, and that's why the Chinese Academy of Sciences academician Tong Xiaolin, when he came to Hong Kong after visiting various places, said that we are  making good use but we could improve in at least three aspects: making it easier to understand, making it easier to be supplied with and also making it easier for the standardisation (易懂, 易行, 易得). This has given us a very good direction to carry on with our work. Thank you.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)