The four temporary testing centres set up by the Government in Wan Chai, Kwai Tsing, Kowloon City and Yau Tsim Mong were closed today (October 13) due to the issuance of the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8. After reviewing the usage of the temporary testing centres and public's demand for the testing service, the Government has decided to extend the operation period of the four temporary testing centres to October 16. The centres will continue to be open from 8am to 1.30pm and ‪2.30pm to 8pm every day.‬

     A Government spokesman said that in view of the worsening COVID-19 epidemic situation in Hong Kong, the Government has set up one temporary testing centre in each of the four districts, namely Wan Chai, Kwai Tsing, Kowloon City and Yau Tsim Mong Districts, which are related to recent community outbreak clusters. The temporary testing centres provide free specimen collection and testing services to facilitate proactive testing of members of the public, in order to identify cases and asymptomatic patients as early as possible so as to cut the transmission chains in the community.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

     As ‪at 10pm today, a total of 4 938 specimens collected under the temporary community testing arrangement had been tested. If any specimen tested shows a positive COVID-19 result, the specimen will be referred to the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Department of Health (DH) for a confirmatory test. Confirmed cases will be followed up and announced by the Centre for Health Protection of the DH.‬‬‬‬‬‬

     Moreover, to facilitate more members of the public to receive COVID-19 tests, distribution time of the deep throat saliva specimen collection packs at the 46 general outpatient clinics of the Hospital Authority has been extended to ‪9am to 1pm and ‪2pm to 5pm from Monday to Friday, since October 9. ‬‬

     The spokesman appealed to all members of the public who have doubts about their health condition to undergo testing to protect oneself and others and to fight the virus together.

Ends/Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Issued at HKT 22:10

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