HK reports 4.2k COVID-19 cases

August 12, 2022

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

 

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is looking into 4,222 additional locally acquired COVID-19 cases, of which 1,263 were directly identified through nucleic acid tests and 2,959 via verified rapid antigen tests.

 

The Government announced earlier this week that on the LeaveHomeSafe app, all COVID-19 patients will be categorised as people with a red code, while arrivals from overseas places or Taiwan will be categorised as people with an amber code.

 

Deputy Government Chief Information Officer Tony Wong said at a press briefing this afternoon that the system has been running smoothly.

 

“Our system has already detected over 30 million code comparisons, including 20,000 code change operations.”

 

Regarding reports from citizens who had encountered problems entering some venues that required scanning the LeaveHomeSafe QR code, Mr Wong said: “We already immediately assessed and investigated our system to ensure that the code change operation is operating normally and correctly, and to ensure that the people concerned will receive the correct colour QR code in order to enter these venues.”

 

Separately, the Government today implemented streamlined procedures for arrival quarantine and testing at the airport in order to precisely contain the risk of virus spread. Inbound travellers are required to complete an online health declaration to the Department of Health and obtain a QR code before boarding.

 

The Government also noted that as of noon today, 95% of the arrivals were able to complete the procedures of testing, quarantine and immigration clearance within 50 minutes, while the majority of arrivals were able to board the point-to-point transportation and leave the airport for designated quarantine hotels within one to two hours after disembarking from the plane.

 

Meanwhile, the centre added that 217 imported cases were reported and four more patients passed away.

 

Locally, seven residential care homes for the elderly and five for disabled people logged infection cases.

 

There were also 214 cases reported by 179 schools, involving 147 pupils and 67 staff.

 

This afternoon, the Government made a restriction-testing declaration to cover Heng Chui House of Tin Heng Estate in Yuen Long, requiring people in the restricted area to undergo compulsory testing before the specified deadline.

 

Due to a number of positive cases, 60 specified places are included in a compulsory testing notice. It also covers five specified premises in Diamond Hill, Cheung Sha Wan and Tseung Kwan O where some sewage samples tested positive for the virus.

 

The Government will reopen the mobile specimen collection stations at Lido Garden in Sham Tseng and Cheung Wang Estate in Tsing Yi tomorrow.

 

As there were positive sewage test results with relatively high viral loads in several areas in Islands, Kowloon City and Kwun Tong districts, the Housing Department and the respective district offices will distribute COVID-19 rapid test kits to relevant residents as well as cleaning workers and property management staff working there.

 

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

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