Government enforces "restriction-testing declaration" and compulsory testing notice in respect of specified "restricted area" in Oi Hei House, Yau Oi Estate, Tuen Mun
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In addition, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from February 25 to March 10, 2022, to undergo compulsory testing on or before March 12, 2022, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect. 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 (March 11) 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 specified "restricted area" in Oi Hei House, Yau Oi Estate, Tuen Mun, who have undergone testing and are able to present SMS notifications with negative test results 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 8pm yesterday. Around 1 640 people within the area had undergone testing, among which 206 cases tested preliminarily positive were found. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will arrange to follow up.
The Government provided food packs for persons so as to facilitate the meal arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. Rapid antigen test kits and anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines supplied by the Central Government were also provided to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit around 780 households within the "restricted area", among which 78 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/Friday, March 11, 2022
Issued at HKT 12:22
Issued at HKT 12:22
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