New mobile specimen collection station to be set up in Jat Min Chuen in Sha Tin
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      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.
 
      The Government is very concerned about a number of COVID-19 confirmed cases reported at Ming Yan Lau, Jat Min Chuen in Sha Tin and Lung San House, Lung Poon Court in Wong Tai Sin recently. Starting from tomorrow (December 17), the Government will arrange for the testing agency, ONCO Medical Laboratory Limited, to set up a mobile specimen collection station at the basketball court of Jat Min Chuen to provide testing service for residents and workers of Jat Min Chuen. Operating hours will be as follows: December 17 (Thursday), from 2pm to 8pm, and thereafter daily from 10am to 8pm. Tentatively, the mobile specimen collection station will operate until December 21 (Monday). The Government will decide whether it is necessary to extend the operation period of the station after reviewing their usage and public's demand for the testing service.
 
      The mobile specimen collection station set up at Wong Tai Sin Square will also extend its operation period to December 21 (Monday). The station will continue to be open to all members of the public for testing, and accord priority to provide testing service for residents and workers of Lung San House, Lung Poon Court who are subject to compulsory testing.

     Through mobile specimen collection stations set up earlier in Tai Po, Tsuen Wan, Wong Tai Sin, Tung Chung, Wong Chuk Hang, Kwai Shing, Kowloon Bay, Kwun Tong and Tung Tau (II) Estate, the Government has been providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for members of the public. 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 agencies will provide specimen collection services by combined nasal and throat swabs at the mobile specimen collection stations 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 mobile specimen collection stations will accord priority to provide testing service for local residents and workers who are subject to compulsory testing."
 
     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/Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Issued at HKT 20:45

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