The Government today (April 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 8.30pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" at Ap Lei Chau (i.e. Block 10 (Yee Lai Court), South Horizons, No. 10 South Horizon Drive, Ap Lei Chau; 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 area have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained. The Government aims at finishing this exercise at about 8am tomorrow (April 24), in order to achieve the goal of zero cases in the district with concerted efforts.

     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. As a confirmed case with unknown source is detected in Block 10 (Yee Lai Court), South Horizons today, the risk of infection in the relevant area is accessed 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 2am tomorrow. Persons subject to compulsory testing will be arranged to undergo nucleic acid testing 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 door-to-door specimen collection for people with impaired mobility and elderly persons.

     "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 at night after most people are released from work. 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 8am tomorrow with a view to allowing residents to leave their premises at around 8am. 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 April 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 issued today, any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from April 10 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 April 25.
      
     If there are 2021 HKDSE candidates in the "restricted area" who need to sit the HKDSE the following day but have not undergone testing from April 21 to 23, 2021, and are not able to provide the SMS notification through a mobile phone or related certification containing the test results, the Government advises candidates to go to the temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" as soon as possible and identify themselves as 2021 HKDSE candidates and submit relevant documents (including admission forms) for proof. The candidates will be given priority testing with a view to enabling them to obtain test results as early as possible.
      
     The candidates concerned should go to the temporary specimen collection stations in the 'restricted area' with their identity document and admission form as soon as possible for priority testing. It is the candidate's responsibility to follow the testing process and go to the temporary specimen collection stations as soon as possible for the test. Otherwise, the officers will not be able to prioritise the testing of samples collected late.
      
     If a candidate needs to leave the "restricted area" for the exam centre before the declaration is revoked, he/she can make a request to the prescribed officers in the "restricted area", regardless of whether the test result has been obtained or not. The prescribed officer may allow the candidate to leave the "restricted area" after verifying that the candidate has undergone testing as required and recording the relevant information of the candidate. Candidates who receive a negative test result on their way to the exam centres will be allowed to sit the exam as scheduled. For the safety of all candidates, only those candidates who have obtained negative results in the nucleic acid test will be allowed to enter the examination hall. For details, please read the relevant press release issued by the Education Bureau earlier: www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/01/P2021040100808.htm

     The Government has prepared simple food for the residents restricted by the declaration. The Home Affairs Department has set up a hotline (Tel: 2835 1473) which started operation at 8.30pm 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 hopes this temporary inconvenience will completely cut the local transmission chains and ease residents' worries and fear, so that they will regain confidence in resuming social and business activities in the area, and return to a normal life.

     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 Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 4pm today (April 23), one death case, reported as a suspected serious adverse event following COVID-19 vaccination, had been received from the Hospital Authority (HA) in the past 24 hours.
      
     According to the information provided by the HA, the case involved a 43-year-old man with a history of hyperlipidaemia and obesity. He had sudden cardiac arrest at home on April 22 and showed no vital signs upon arrival at the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department of Yan Chai Hospital. Resuscitation at the hospital was performed but in vain and he passed away on the same night. According to information, he received a dose of Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccination at the Tsuen King Circuit Sports Centre Community Vaccination Centre on April 18 and there was no record that the man complained of feeling unwell during observation at the Vaccination Centre.
      
     The DH contacted the HA upon notification to obtain further information on the incident to facilitate causality assessment. So far, there is no clinical evidence to indicate that his death was caused by the vaccine. The HA has referred the case to the Coroner. Also, the DH will pass the case based on the established mechanism to the Expert Committee on Clinical Events Assessment Following COVID-19 Immunisation for conducting causality assessment.

     According to the World Health Organization, an adverse event following immunisation is any medical occurrence that follows immunisation and that does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine.
      
     As background information, according to the HA, there were about 500 deaths recorded at the HA's A&E Departments between March 22 and April 18, 2021 (on average about 18 deaths at each A&E Department per day), and among these cases about 60 persons were aged 40 to 59. For the same period of time (i.e. March 22 to April 18) in 2018 to 2020, there were on average 60 persons aged 40 to 59 who died at the HA's A&E Departments. The state of death records at the A&E Departments is provided as a cross-reference to enhance fuller public understanding of cases of the kind recorded on vaccine recipients.

     Separately, the DH has received a Coroner's Court case involving a 66-year-old woman who was found unconscious on a bed in the morning of April 22. She was certified dead at the scene and her body was sent to a public mortuary. According to information, she received her second dose of Comirnaty at the Sai Wan Ho Sports Centre Community Vaccination Centre on April 12. The DH will pass the case based on the established mechanism to the Expert Committee for conducting causality assessment.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients confirmed to be carriers of Multi-drug Resistant Acinetobacter (MDRA) in medical wards, the spokesperson for Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital gave the following update today (April 23):
 
     In accordance with the prevailing guidelines, the hospital commenced contact tracing and confirmed four more male patients (aged 63 to 97) in the medical wards to be carriers of MDRA. Three patients are currently under medical surveillance and isolation treatment with stable condition. The remaining patient has passed away due to an underlying disease.
 
     Following the activation of the Emergency Response Level in public hospitals, the visiting arrangement has been suspended. The following infection control measures have been stepped up according to the established guidelines:
 
1. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned;
2. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients; and
3. Enhanced patient and environmental screening procedures.
 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation in the wards concerned. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     Details of the meetings of the Legislative Council (LegCo) and its Committees to be held in the LegCo Complex during the week from April 26 to 30 are available in the meeting schedule attached.
      
     The information in the meeting schedule is subject to change. Please refer to the LegCo Calendar on the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk) for the latest details of meetings.
      
     Members of the public can watch or listen to the meetings via the Webcast system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meetings at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Princess Margaret Hospital gave the following update today (April 23):
 
     Following contact tracing, two more male patients (aged 37 and 80) in a medicine and geriatrics ward of the hospital were confirmed as Candida auris carriers while not having signs of infection. One of the patients is now being treated under isolation and in stable condition while the other patient has been discharged earlier.
 
     The hospital will continue the contact tracing of close contacts of the patients in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spread of Candida auris:
 
1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned;
2. Enhanced admission screening for patients and environmental screening procedures; and
3. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients.
 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the patients. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.