DH Office for Regulation of Private Healthcare Facilities (Licensing Division) staff member preliminarily tests positive for COVID-19

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The Department of Health (DH) announced today (August 12) that a staff member of the DH's Licensing Division of the Office for Regulation of Private Healthcare Facilities (ORPHF) has tested preliminarily positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In consideration of public health and hygiene, the offices at Room 1008, 10/F, Guardian House, Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai and at Room 402, 4/F, 14 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing, where the staff member had stayed, were closed immediately for a thorough cleaning and disinfection until further notice.

The staff member concerned is a nurse who is responsible for processing licence applications for private healthcare facilities. She was notified of the preliminary positive result yesterday (August 11) evening by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the DH.

The staff member concerned had no recent travel history and had worked yesterday. Her body temperature was normal during temperature screening before commencing duty. She wore a mask and followed relevant disease prevention measures at work. In the past 14 days of her duty, she mainly performed duties in the office and made no contact with members of the public at work and did not take part in the inspections of private healthcare facilities.

The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing are ongoing to identify and trace close contacts of the staff member. So far, one staff member has been listed as a close contact and would be arranged to be quarantined. The CHP has also arranged COVID-19 testing for other colleagues working with the staff member concerned in the offices.

During the closure of the offices of the ORPHF's Licensing Division, members of the public may submit licence applications via the e-Licensing system at www.orphf.gov.hk and by mail. For enquiries, urgent document submissions or other services, please contact the ORPHF's Licensing Division through the following means:

Phone: 3107 8451
Fax: 2117 0436
E-mail: orphf@dh.gov.hk

The DH is highly concerned about the COVID-19 situation and has been strictly implementing various disease prevention measures during the epidemic, which include providing employees with masks and other protective equipment, and stepping up the cleaning and sanitising measures of the working environment. The DH has reminded all staff again to maintain personal hygiene and be vigilant at all times.

Ends/Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Issued at HKT 17:37

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