The Government has made a restriction-testing declaration for Cheung Hing Building, 44-48 Pitt Street in Yau Ma Tei due to a preliminary positive imported COVID-19 case involving the N501Y mutant strain.

The Centre for Health Protection said the 36-year-old male patient is a local cargo crew member. He tested negative in Hong Kong on December 9, left on December 11 for the US and returned to the city on December 13 by flight CX2071.

His specimen collected upon arrival at the airport temporary specimen collection centre tested negative for COVID-19. The individual then underwent medical surveillance and regular compulsory testing in accordance with the relevant requirements for exempted people.

The sample submitted yesterday tested preliminarily positive and carried the N501Y mutant strain. The patient developed symptoms on the same day with a cycle threshold (Ct) value of about 25 to 29. He received two doses of the BioNTech vaccination in Hong Kong on March 22 and April 15.

According to the information the patient provided, he stayed at home after his arrival, except when buying food in the community for a short duration of time yesterday and going to a mobile specimen collection station to submit a sample for testing.

After conducting a risk assessment, the Government decided to make a restriction-testing declaration for Cheung Hing Building where he lives.

The declaration took effect from 7pm and aims to be finished by about 7am tomorrow. Those who have undergone testing from December 14 to 16 and can provide testing proof are not required to undergo testing again.

According to the compulsory testing notice, people who had been present at the building for more than two hours from November 24 to December 16 must undergo compulsory testing on or before December 18 even if they were not present in the restricted area at the time when the declaration took effect.

Additionally, the places where the patient had visited in Hong Kong during the incubation period will be included in a compulsory testing notice.

Epidemiological investigation and contact tracing of the case will continue.