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

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 8,282 additional locally acquired COVID-19 cases, of which 2,960 were directly identified through nucleic acid tests and 5,322 via verified rapid antigen tests.

Separately, 297 imported cases were found and nine more patients passed away.

Five residential care homes for the elderly and four for disabled people logged coronavirus infection cases. There were also 66 cases reported by 51 schools.

At a press briefing this afternoon, the centre’s Principal Medical & Health Officer Dr Albert Au appealed to citizens to take additional precautionary measures as the number of local COVID-19 cases is increasing at a faster speed.

“We noticed that there is an accelerated speed of increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong in the past few days. There is quite a rapid increase in the number of cases, indicating that the transmission of the virus in the community is increasing.

“So, there is a need for the general public to take additional precautionary measures in preventing transmission and also infection among members of the general public.

“We advise the general public to decrease or minimise participations in large-scale gatherings or meal gatherings so as to decrease the chance of an outbreak or transmission. And also, we encourage members of the public to have regular COVID-19 testing, including RAT (rapid antigen test) or PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, especially those with symptoms.

“If the increase in the number of cases further worsens, we might need to consider tightening some of the social distancing measures.”

Due to a number of positive cases, 35 specified places are included in a compulsory testing notice. It also covers another eight specified locations in Chai Wan, Shau Kei Wan, Wong Tai Sin and Tin Shui Wai where some sewage samples tested positive for the virus.

In view of the fact that some mobile specimen collection stations were closed when the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 was in force today, the stations at Ma Hang Estate in Stanley as well as Rhine Garden and Sea Crest Villa in Sham Tseng will resume service tomorrow, while the one at On Yam Estate in Kwai Chung will extend its service period to August 27.

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