Government follows up on positive results of sewage surveillance and appeals to residents to undergo virus testing
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Rapid test
As regards positive sewage testing results in Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, Sai Kung, Kwai Tsing and Tuen Mun Districts, the Home Affairs Department (including Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, Sai Kung, Kwai Tsing and Tuen Mun District Offices) will distribute COVID-19 rapid test kits to residents and all cleansing workers and property management staff working in the following areas (see Annex) starting from tomorrow (February 26) for them to take the test on their own, in order to help identifying infected persons –
- Sewage Testing Area Sham Shui Po Site 3 LTC-01 - Lai Pak House of Lai Tsui Court, Cheung Sha Wan
- Sewage Testing Area Kwun Tong Site OTE-02 (Part) - Ming Tai House of On Tai Estate, Kwun Tong
- Sewage Testing Area Sai Kung Site 1A W2-03 - Royal Diamond of The Wings II, Tseung Kwan O
- Sewage Testing Area Sai Kung Site 1A (Part) - Yee Yuet House, Yee Ching House and Yee Yan House of Yee Ming Estate; Yun Ming House of Yung Ming Court; and Shin Lai House of Shin Ming Estate, Tseung Kwan O
- Sewage Testing Area Sham Shui Po Site 4A (Part) - Block 19, Mei Leong House, Mei Shan House, Mei Hung House, Mei Yue House and Mei Cheong House of Shek Kip Mei Estate
- Sewage Testing Area Sham Shui Po Site 2-3 (Part) - Lai Yan Court Wah Lai Estate
- Sewage Testing Area Tuen Mun Site 2 (Part) - On Ting Estate
Members of the public may refer to (www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzFAUzTtmKk) for enquiries relating to the use of the rapid test kits.
When using a rapid test kit, please pay attention to and follow the instructions from the manufacturer to perform the test and read the result properly. It is advisable to record the displayed result by taking a photo immediately after reading. Users should wash their hands before and after performing the tests, and avoid placing non-essential items within the specimen collection area. After completing the test, wrap and seal all components of the test kit carefully and dispose properly. If the household environment is contaminated during the specimen collecting process, disinfection should be conducted with 1 in 49 diluted bleach solution or 70 per cent alcohol.
Since rapid antigen testing can only serve as a reference, it cannot replace the nucleic acid testing that is at present the gold standard for diagnosis of COVID-19. When positive result is obtained in a rapid test, one should further undergo nucleic acid testing for confirmation. For the sake of prudence, they should take personal protective measures, stay home and avoid going out as far as practicable. They should request relatives or friends to obtain through existing channels and deliver to them deep throat saliva specimen collection packs.
If people living or working in the areas with positive sewage testing results are tested positive with the rapid test kits, they may also call 2280 4772, the Government's 24-hour hotline for "persons tested positive with rapid antigen tests in areas with positive sewage testing results", to arrange for door-to-door delivery of nasal swab self-sampling kits and collection of the specimen for PCR confirmatory testing free of charge. If the result is still positive, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority will treat the case as tested positive/preliminarily positive under the mechanism. Should these persons begin to develop symptoms before results are available, they may consult their family doctors for advice according to their needs. When severe symptoms (e.g. prolonged fever at 38 degrees Celsius or above, or signs such as shortness of breath, palpitations, chest pain) are developed, members of the public are urged to call the 999 hotline for arranging ambulance transfer to hospital as early as possible.
Ends/Friday, February 25, 2022
Issued at HKT 22:12
Issued at HKT 22:12
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