The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 0.00am, December 23, the CHP was investigating two additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 12 551 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 12 550 confirmed cases and one probable case).

     The newly reported cases are imported cases which involved mutant strains. The patients comprise one male aged 36 and one female aged 27. One of them arrived in Hong Kong from a Group A specified place (high-risk) with enhanced surveillance, the other one from a then (day of arrival) Group A specified place (high-risk). One patient tested positive during the "test-and-hold" arrangement upon arrival at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre at Hong Kong International Airport and one tested positive during quarantine.

     A total of 77 cases have been reported in the past 14 days (December 9 to 22) and all of them are imported cases.

     The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

     ​The spokesman for the CHP stressed, "The global situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and there is a continuous increase in the number of cases involving mutant strains that carry higher transmissibility, and there are also reports of breakthrough infections in some vaccinated individuals. The CHP strongly urges members of the public to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong, in particular to specified places with high risk under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H)."

Ends/Thursday, December 23, 2021
Issued at HKT 14:15

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