The Government yesterday (February 5) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 7pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tuen Mun (i.e. Hing Cheung House, 6 Tai Hing Street, (excluding Yuen Long (2) District Maintenance Office Housing Department, The Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation-Community Rehabilitation Network (Tai Hing Centre), The Neighbourhood Advice-Action Council Tai Hing Hostel and Tuen Mun Youths Association on G/F) as well as 2 Tai Hing Street, Hing Tai House (excluding District Lands Office/Tuen Mun Squatter Control Team, Clearance(2) Office (Tuen Mun Sub-office) Lands Department and Fu Hong Society Kit Hong Home), Tai Hing Estate, Tuen Mun) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained.
      
     In addition, the Government had issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 23 to February 5, 2022 even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before February 7, 2022.
      
     The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at Hing Cheung House of the "restricted area" at around 8am today (February 6) and is now carrying out enforcement actions at Hing Cheung House to verify that all people at Hing Cheung House have undergone compulsory testing. The Government will further announce the revocation time of the declaration.
      
     Starting from around 8am today, persons in Hing Cheung House of the "restricted area" in Tuen Mun who have undergone testing and are able to present SMS notifications with negative test results as proof of having undergone testing may leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer.
      
     The Government set up temporary specimen collection stations in the "restricted area" yesterday and requested persons subject to compulsory testing to collect combined nasal and throat swab samples at the stations to undergo a COVID-19 virus test before 1am today. As at 1am today, 2 633 persons of Hing Cheung House had undergone testing. Two preliminary positive cases were found and the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will take follow up action.
      
     Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit 1 332 households of Hing Cheung House, among which 151 households did not answer the door. The Government will take measures to follow up.
      
     The Government reiterates that enforcement actions will be taken seriously. Any person who fails to present an SMS notification with a test result as proof of having undergone testing breaches the compulsory testing notice and may be liable to a fine of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him/her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

Ends/Sunday, February 6, 2022
Issued at HKT 8:27

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