The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating seven additional imported COVID-19 cases, with all of them coming from high-risk places.

Six of the cases involved mutant strains, five linked to L452R, one linked to N501Y. The viral load of the remaining case was insufficient for a mutation test.

The patients comprise three men and four women. Two of them arrived from Pakistan via the United Arab Emirates, and three flew in from Nepal and Indonesia. The other two are sea crew members arriving from India, with their specimen collected on the vessel testing positive for the virus.

As Nepal Airlines flight RA409 from Kathmandu, Nepal, arriving on November 2 had two passengers on board infected with COVID-19, and one passenger who failed to comply with the requirements under the Prevention & Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances & Travellers) Regulation, the Department of Health invoked the law to prohibit the landing of the carrier’s passenger flights from Kathmandu from November 4 to 17.

Additionally, four schools are covered in the compulsory testing notice due to an outbreak of upper respiratory tract infection or influenza-like illness.

Mobile specimen collection stations will be set up at various districts tomorrow to provide free service for those subject to compulsory testing.

A total of 47 cases were reported in Hong Kong in the past 14 days, all of which are imported.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government’s dedicated webpage.