New COVID-19 cases remain low

April 13, 2020

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

 

The Centre for Health Protection today said the low number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in Hong Kong recently may be related to fewer tests being done over the Easter holiday.

 

The centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan announced at a press briefing that there were five additional cases of COVID-19 today, of which four had a travel history, including a 14-month-old girl who had been to the UK.

 

Dr Chuang noted that the low numbers could be linked to a drop in arrivals to Hong Kong, as well as fewer tests being carried out during the Easter holiday.

 

"I think the low number of cases reported may be related to the low number of travellers coming back to Hong Kong, because if the denominator is fewer, then the numerators are fewer, because most of the cases recently reported are imported cases. So it may be related to the number of travellers.

 

"But it can also be related to the low number of tests being done during the holiday because the general out-patient clinics are closed during the holiday and many of the general practitioners also close their clinics, so there would be fewer specimens sent from the patients."

 

She also cautioned against complacency despite the drop in the number of reported infections.

 

"Because in the recent few days we have seen a lot of people coming out, we cannot exclude the possibility of a further outbreak in one or two weeks’ time, but it may not be tomorrow because there is a lap time of incubation period for this virus."

 

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

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