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

Centre for Health Protection Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan today said it is worrying that four taxi drivers and a rehabilitation bus driver have tested preliminarily positive or yielded indeterminate results for COVID-19.

At a press briefing this afternoon, Dr Chuang said the drivers range in age from 47 to 77.

"So far, we have around 20 or less than 20 preliminary positive cases, including the five drivers who either tested preliminarily positive or are indeterminate at the moment.

“We are still obtaining lists from the concerned parties concerning the rehabilitation bus and also the school bus. We will check with them whether there is any close contact with the people who get on the buses.

“So we do not have the details yet. It is possible that he drove some disabled persons around to the healthcare facilities.”

Dr Chuang noted that a number of cases were detected among taxi drivers during the beginning and middle of the third wave of the epidemic.

“Recently I understand that the detection rate was zero.

“But coupled with a few cases in the community, we think that the situation is a bit worrying because we are finding some more cases without (epidemiological) links in various districts in Hong Kong and also together with these taxi drivers who go to many places in Hong Kong. The situation is a bit worrying.”

In light of some taxi drivers testing preliminarily positive for COVID-19, the Transport Department today also announced that another round of the virus testing service will be provided for taxi drivers from tomorrow until November 18.

Taxi drivers can visit any one of the four specific temporary distribution/collection centres to collect the testing kit upon presenting their valid taxi driver identity plate.

They are required to register their personal information at the government website and should self-collect their deep throat saliva specimen and return it to any one of the temporary collection centres on the same day.

Taxi drivers who test negative for COVID-19 can collect the Anti-epidemic Tag for Taxi Drivers from the relevant taxi trade organisations with the SMS indicating the test result and display the tag at a prominent position inside the taxi compartment to enable passengers to check it.

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