(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 164 additional COVID-19 cases, of which 116 are locally infected and 48 are imported. Among the local cases, 12 have unknown sources of infection.

The cases with unknown infection sources involve patients who live in different areas of the city, including Ho Man Tin, Tai Wo Hau, Tsz Wan Shan, Mong Kok, Ma On Shan, To Kwa Wan and Tin Shui Wai.

Cheung Bor House in Choi Wan (I) Estate which has had its restriction-testing declaration extended until tomorrow, registered 23 positive and preliminary positive cases. The infections comprise 22 residents and a security guard.

The centre said that the spread of the virus could be linked to the building's structure.

Briefing the media this afternoon, the centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said: “For the work nature of the security guard, during work she has to, besides sitting at the ground floor, go up to the top floor by lift and take the stairs to every floor to walk around the building to check (the premises). 

“She also will hand rubbish bags to some residents during work. After the site visit (to the building), (we discovered that) there may be some structural, ventilation effects that would help spread the infection, once some of the units are affected. That is why we need to evacuate some of the units.”

The centre will arrange for residents of the Cheung Bor House units concerned to be placed under quarantine. All security guards who work there are classified as close contacts and also need to undergo quarantine.

As nine infections at Nga Kwai House in Kwai Chung Estate and three cases at On Kwai House in Kwai Fuk Court have been reported, residents of designated units in the two buildings have to be sent to a quarantine centre.

Separately, the Government tonight made restriction-testing declarations to cover Block C of New Kwai Fong Gardens, On Shun Building, 15-31 Shung Yan Street in Kwun Tong and Block 1 and Block 2 of Hsin Kuang Centre in Wong Tai Sin.

In view of the cases which tested positive and preliminarily positive, as well as the sewage samples collected in Sha Tin and Tung Chung which also tested positive for the virus, 26 places are covered in a compulsory testing notice.

The Government will set up additional mobile specimen collection stations tomorrow to enable residents and those working in relevant areas to undergo testing.

As regards positive sewage testing results identified in Yuen Long, the Home Affairs Department will distribute COVID-19 rapid test kits to residents in the relevant area for them to take the test on their own in the hope of identifying infected people early.

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