Government enforces "restriction-testing declaration" and compulsory testing notice in respect of specified "restricted area" in On Tai Estate, Kwun Tong
******************************************************************************************
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 February 10 to February 23, 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 25, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, for prudence's sake, vaccinated persons and persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing.
The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around noon today (February 24) and is now carrying out enforcement actions in the "restricted area" to verify that all people in the "restricted area" have undergone compulsory testing. The Government will further announce the revocation time of the declaration.
Starting from around noon today, persons in the "restricted area" in Kwun Tong 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 10.30pm yesterday. A total of about 1 990 persons had undergone testing. Amongst them, 136 tested preliminary positive cases and six indeterminate cases were found and the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will take follow-up action. Regarding cases tested preliminarily positive in the specified "restricted area", the Government will provide health advice for persons tested preliminarily positive pending admission to hospitals or isolation facilities and disinfection products to these persons and their household members pending follow-up arrangement.
Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit about 760 households, among which 49 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 $10,000. 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/Thursday, February 24, 2022
Issued at HKT 14:50
Issued at HKT 14:50
NNNN