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 Innovation & Technology Alfred Sit and Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui today joined the anti-epidemic effort in Tsz Wan Shan and distributed COVID-19 rapid test kits at a shopping centre to residents to undergo voluntary testing.
In the face of the risks posed by the highly transmissible variants amid the fifth wave of the epidemic and the positive sewage test results in some districts, the district offices under the Home Affairs Department have been stepping up co-ordination with various district organisations to mobilise volunteers to assist in packaging and distributing rapid test kits to residents in those districts for them to take the test on their own.
If a positive test result is shown on the test kit, prompt medical attention should be sought at accident and emergency departments to receive appropriate diagnosis and treatment at the earliest possible time. Residents who test positive should stay at home as far as possible to avoid spreading the virus in the community.
The Government stressed that rapid test kit testing is not a substitute for the compulsory testing requirement.
Individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, who have visited places with epidemic outbreaks or have had contact with confirmed cases should undergo testing promptly at testing centres.
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