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 recently at Lotus Tower, Kwun Tong Garden Estate, and has arranged for a testing agency to set up a mobile specimen collection station at the following location and dates to provide free testing service for residents and workers in that district:
 

New mobile specimen collection station	Opening dates (tentative)
Basketball Court of Hung Cheuk Lau, Kwun Tong Garden Estate (only for residents and workers of Kwun Tong Garden Estate) (BGI)	From December 26 until December 30

 
     Operating hours of the abovementioned mobile specimen collection station are from 10am to 8pm. The Government will decide whether it is necessary to extend the operation period of the station after reviewing its usage and public's demand for the testing service.      

     The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing 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 preliminarily positive 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/Sunday, December 27, 2020
Issued at HKT 1:38

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