The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.
The Government exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) and published in the Gazette a compulsory testing notice, which requires any person who had been present at seven specified premises during the specified period (persons subject to compulsory testing) to undergo a COVID-19 nucleic acid test.
Currently, in all districts in Hong Kong, if one or more new confirmed cases are found in the residential buildings (including buildings for both commercial and residential uses), or there are sewage samples tested positive which implied possible infection risks, the buildings will be included in the compulsory testing notice.
For testing targeting at workplaces, if one or more confirmed cases are found in a workplace, it will be included in the compulsory testing notice.
Three premises fulfilling the above criteria were included in the compulsory testing notice today (March 10). Among them, since a number of confirmed cases were found in Ursus Fitness, Shop 2-4, G/F, 64-68 Pok Fu Lam Road, Sai Ying Pun over a short period of time, visitors and workers of the premises would possibly be subject to higher infectious risks and are required to undergo compulsory testing.
Moreover, the Government has earlier carried out testing on the sewage samples collected from the area around Tin Fu Court, Tin Shui Wai (including Chai Fu House, Sin Fu House, Yat Fu House and Nga Fu House which had been subjected to compulsory testing earlier, as well as the four schools set out in Part C of Annex 1) and the samples were constantly tested positive. As there is so far no confirmed case among the four residential buildings and the four schools, upon risk assessments, face-to-face class may be continued in the schools. Meanwhile, for the sake of prudence and to provide assurance to the teachers, students and staff of the schools, the concerned schools will be included in the compulsory testing notice. The Government will arrange four temporary specimen collection stations at the concerned schools to provide rapid antigen test and to collect combined nasal and throat swabs specimens for testing. Results of the rapid antigen test are available in around 30 minutes, which can help identify the infected person soonest possible and cut the transmission link.
Details of the compulsory testing notice are as follows:
1. Any person who had been present at any specified premises listed in Part A of Annex 1 for more than two hours at any time during the period from February 25 to March 10, 2021 (including but not limited to visitors, residents and workers), have to undergo testing by March 12, 2021. If persons subject to compulsory testing have previously undergone testing between March 8 and March 10, 2021, they would be taken to have complied with the requirements set out in the compulsory testing notice.
2. Any person who had been present at any specified premises listed in Part B of Annex 1 at any time during the period from February 25 to March 10, 2021 (including but not limited to full-time, part-time and relief staff and visitors), have to undergo testing by March 12, 2021. If persons subject to compulsory testing have previously undergone testing between March 8 and March 10, 2021, they would be taken to have complied with the requirements set out in the compulsory testing notice.
3. Any person who had been engaged to work or had been on duty (including full-time, part-time and relief staff) or students who had studied at any specified premises listed in Part C of Annex 1 at any time during the period from February 25 to March 10, 2021, have to undergo testing by March 12, 2021. If persons subject to compulsory testing have previously undergone testing between March 8 and March 10, 2021, they would be taken to have complied with the requirements set out in the compulsory testing notice.
A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau reminds the public that in accordance with the compulsory testing notice issued earlier, all household members of close contacts are required to undergo compulsory testing. Any person who had lived with a person who is placed under quarantine pursuant to section 22 of the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation (Cap. 599A) (person under quarantine) in the same residential unit on the date of commencement of quarantine or during the 14 days before that day, and who becomes aware of the quarantine of the person under quarantine when the relevant quarantine has not yet been completed, have to undergo testing within two days of he/she becoming aware of the person under quarantine has been placed under quarantine and report to the Government the result of the test by phone (at 6275 6901), fax (at 2530 5872) or email (ct@csb.gov.hk) within three days of undergoing the test.
The Government will set up a mobile specimen collection station at Hau Tak Estate in Tseung Kwan O tomorrow (March 11) for local residents and workers subject to compulsory testing, in addition to the ones at the schools in Tin Shui Wai mentioned above. The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for the general public are stated in Annex 2. Apart from mobile specimen collection stations, persons subject to compulsory testing can also choose to attend any of the community testing centres in all districts to receive testing free of charge.
Persons subject to compulsory testing may choose to undergo testing via the following routes:
1. To visit any of the mobile specimen collection stations (see the list and target groups (if applicable) at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html) for testing;
2. To attend any of the community testing centres (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/);
3. To obtain a deep throat saliva specimen collection pack from any of the 121 post offices, vending machines set up at 20 MTR stations or 47 designated general outpatient clinics (GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority and return the specimen to one of the designated specimen collection points (see the distribution points and times, and the specimen collection points and times, at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html);
4. To undergo testing at any of the GOPCs of the Hospital Authority as instructed by a medical professional of the Hospital Authority;
5. To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the Department of Health (DH) and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf); or
6.To use a specimen bottle distributed to the relevant specified premises by the Centre for Health Protection (if applicable), and return the specimen bottle with the sample collected as per relevant guidelines.
The spokesman cautioned that testing received at accident and emergency departments of the Hospital Authority or during hospital stays, or testing provided by private laboratories which cannot issue SMS notifications in respect of test results, does not comply with the requirements of the aforementioned compulsory testing notice.
"If persons subject to compulsory testing have symptoms, they should seek medical attention immediately and undergo testing as instructed by a medical professional. They should not attend the mobile specimen collection stations or the community testing centres."
Persons subject to compulsory testing must keep the SMS notification containing result of the test for checking by a law enforcement officer when the officer requires the persons to provide information about their undergoing the specified test.
Furthermore, persons subject to testing under the compulsory testing notices should, as far as reasonably practicable, take appropriate personal disease prevention measures including wearing a mask and maintaining hand hygiene, and, unless for the purpose of undergoing the specified test, stay at their place of residence and avoid going out until the test result is ascertained as far as possible.
Any enquiries on compulsory testing arrangements may be addressed to the hotline at 6275 6901, which operates daily from 9am to 6pm. If persons subject to compulsory testing plan to conduct testing at any of the community testing centres, they can check the centre's appointment status in advance. The hotlines of the community testing centres are available at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/info/.
The Government will continue to trace possibly infected persons who had been to the relevant premises, and seriously verify whether they had complied with the testing notices. Any person who fails to comply with the 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 order is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.
Relevant officers of different government departments are empowered to perform certain functions under the relevant Regulations under the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599), including requesting individuals to provide information and assistance when necessary. Any person who fails to comply with the relevant request commits an offence and would be liable to a fine at level 3 ($10,000). Collection and use of any personal data for conducting COVID-19 tests must meet the requirements under the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486). Government departments or testing service providers which handle the relevant information may provide the data to DH or other relevant departments for anti-epidemic purpose as necessary. The workflow does not involve the provision of any personal data to organisations or persons outside Hong Kong.
The spokesman said, "The Government urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health conditions, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases), to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons."
The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has been under way since February 26. For the past 24 hours ended at 8pm today (March 10), the following figures were recorded:
(i) About 10 900 persons received their first dose of the Sinovac vaccine, including about 7 800 persons getting vaccinated at eight Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs) and about 2 600 persons at private doctors and clinics participating in the programme; and
(ii) About 5 900 persons received their first dose of the Comirnaty vaccine at seven CVCs.
(iii) A total of about 16 800 persons received their first dose of vaccine.
The overall percentage of people who have received the Sinovac vaccine at eight CVCs today is about 72 per cent, while the overall percentage of people who have received the Comirnaty vaccine at seven CVCs today is about 91 per cent.
So far, a cumulative total of about 130 500 persons have received their first vaccination dose (Annex 1), with about 121 500 persons receiving the Sinovac vaccine and about 9 000 persons receiving the Comirnaty vaccine.
For the past 24 hours ended at 0000 hours today, there were seven cases of ambulance transfer to hospital. Among them, five cases were discharged and two cases were admitted for observation (Annex 2).
Police today (March 10) appealed to the public for information on a fatal traffic accident in Tin Sum on March 7 in which a 52-year-old woman died.
At about 11am that day, a private car driven by a 28-year-old man was travelling along Tai Po Road – Sha Tin Heights towards Kowloon. When approaching a petrol filling station on Tai Po Road – Sha Tin Heights, it reportedly rammed into a private car driven by a 54-year-old man inside the station, and the latter further knocked down the 52-year-old station staff.
The woman was trapped between the private car and a column in the station and was rescued by firemen. Sustaining multiple injuries, she was rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 1.30pm today.
The 28-year-old private car driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm after the accident. He has been released on bail pending further enquiries and is required to report back to Police in late March.
Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories South is underway.
Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 1300 or 3661 1446.
​The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (March 10) visited the Community Vaccination Centre (CVC) at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre to inspect the official launch of the administration of the Comirnaty vaccine on people of the priority groups who had made reservations, and to give encouragement to personnel manning the centre.
Accompanied by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, who are responsible for co-ordinating the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, as well as the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan, Mrs Lam was briefed by the HA staff members who run the CVC on the first-day operation of the centre. The CVC at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre is one of the seven CVCs operated by the HA and was officially launched today to provide free administration service of Comirnaty vaccine for people of the priority groups who had successfully made reservations online. Pleased to note that the centre had been operating smoothly, Mrs Lam thanked the healthcare personnel and staff members working there for their participation in helping the Government vaccinate members of the public. She also chatted with people who went there to receive vaccinations and learned that they were satisfied with the vaccination arrangements.
The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme was officially launched on February 26. The programme has since been progressively implemented by the Government, having regard to actual circumstances and the proposed framework on priority of vaccinations by the Joint Scientific Committees under the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health. At this stage, people of the 12 priority groups can receive vaccines at 15 CVCs, 18 general out-patient clinics of the HA and private doctor clinics. An additional 12 CVCs will commence operation next Tuesday (March 16) to provide more vaccination quotas. Over 110 000 persons have received their first vaccination dose since the commencement of the programme.
"The two COVID-19 vaccines currently provided to members of the public were assessed by experts and approved by the Secretary for Food and Health in accordance with the law for emergency use in Hong Kong. They are safe and effective. The Government has also set up a monitoring mechanism earlier, under which experts would review clinical events and explain them to the public at the earliest opportunity. Members of the public should be put at ease," Mrs Lam said.
"I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have participated in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, including healthcare workers, experts, colleagues of relevant departments and various partners from the public and private sectors, as well as members of public who have received or plan to receive vaccinations. Our joint efforts will help Hong Kong get through the epidemic gradually. I appeal to people of the priority groups to get vaccinated as soon as possible in order to protect yourself and others."
