The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 3,172 additional locally acquired COVID-19 cases, of which 449 were identified through nucleic acid tests and 2,723 via rapid antigen tests. Separately, 111 imported cases were detected. Furthermore, seven residential care homes for the elderly and five for disabled people logged 13 cases involving their residents. The Hospital Authority reported that 20 patients passed away in public hospitals. According to a preliminary analysis, the cause of death for nine patients was related to COVID-19, while that of the remaining 11 patients was unrelated. It also registered eight more critical cases, bringing the number of patients in critical condition to 93. Separately, to align with the Government’s cancellation of issuing isolation orders from tomorrow, the authority will, starting from the same day, announce at 8.30am and 1pm the information of general out-patient clinics (GOPC) quota reserved for COVID-19
Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan said that Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau are making a joint effort on a technological front to prepare for the eventual resumption of cross-boundary travels among the three places.
Prof Chan made the statement today while responding to a question from legislator Michael Tien in the Legislative Council.
She explained that the health code conversion system developed by the Government last November supports people arriving from Guangdong or Macau under the Return2hk Scheme to use the Yuekang Code or Macao Health Code to directly convert their valid nucleic acid testing results to the electronic health declaration form platform of Hong Kong.
The system also supports people coming to Hong Kong from the province and Macau under the Come2HK Scheme launched earlier this month, she added.
The health chief noted that the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer has been collaborating with the technical teams of Guangdong and Macau to enhance the code conversion system with a view to incorporating vaccination records into the code conversion function.
Citizens of the three places will then be able to use the health code conversion system to submit the required information in one go for health declaration purposes, Prof Chan said.
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