The local COVID-19 epidemic situation is worsening rapidly. The confirmed cases are distributed all over the territory. Some of the confirmed cases are asymptomatic and this indicates the existence of many silent transmission chains in the community. Through mobile specimen collection stations set up earlier in Tsuen Wan, Sai Kung, Tai Po, Kowloon City and Wong Tai Sin, the Government has been providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for members of the public.
         
     Starting from December 6 (Sunday), the Government will arrange for the testing agency (BGI) to set up a mobile specimen collection station at the 7-a-side Hard-surfaced Soccer Pitch, Tung Chung North Park. Operating hours will be daily from 10am to 8pm. Tentatively, the mobile specimen collection station will operate until December 19 (Saturday). The Government will decide whether it is necessary to extend the operation period of the mobile specimen collection station after reviewing the usage of the station and public's demand for the testing service.

     In addition, after reviewing the usage and public's demand for the testing service, the Government has decided to extend the services of the mobile specimen collection station in Kai Tak Community Hall, Kowloon City until December 9 (Wednesday), while the mobile specimen collection station set up at the Carpark of the Sai Kung Jockey Club Town Hall, 8 Chan Man Street, Sai Kung will cease operation after tomorrow (December 5). 
 
     The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing services for the general public are at Annex.
 
     A government spokesman said, "The testing agency will provide specimen collection services by combined nasal and throat swabs at the mobile specimen collection station for testing free of charge."
      
     Persons who are subject to compulsory testing and undergo testing at the mobile specimen collection stations will be deemed to have undergone a test at a community testing centre. The Social Welfare Department announced earlier that two Temporary Testing Centres dedicated for staff members of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs), residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs) and nursing homes will be set up at Wong Chuk Hang Recreation Ground No. 2 Soccer Pitch and Hennessy Road Playground (Basketball Court) to make it more convenient for them to undergo polymerase chain reaction-based nucleic acid tests for COVID-19.
 
     People whose test results are negative will be informed by SMS through their mobile phones. 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.

     The spokesman urged all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with exposure to infection risk (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases) to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.
 
 

Ends/Friday, December 4, 2020
Issued at HKT 23:50

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