The Centre for Health Protection today said that it is investigating six additional imported COVID-19 cases, five of which involve the N501Y and T478K mutant strains.

The two new patients are local aircrew members. One of them is a 45-year-old man living at One South Lane in Shek Tong Tsui. He returned to Hong Kong on December 24 on flight CX841 from the US. His sample collected at a community testing centre on December 26 tested positive for COVID-19. He developed symptoms including a headache, runny nose and cough on the same day.

Another infected aircrew member is a 46-year-old man who lives at Twilight Court in Discovery Bay. He returned to Hong Kong on December 25 via flight CX843 from the US. His sample collected at a community testing centre on December 27 tested positive. He is asymptomatic.

The centre is also investigating a preliminary positive imported case involving a patient who had stayed in Hong Kong during the incubation period. The 44-year-old male patient is also a local aircrew member living at Tower 1, The SeaCrest in Tuen Mun.

He returned to Hong Kong on December 25 on flight CX2807 from the US. His sample collected at a community testing centre yesterday tested preliminary positive. He is asymptomatic but carries the N501Y and T478K mutant strains.

As four preliminary positive or confirmed imported cases had stayed in Hong Kong during their incubation periods, specified people who were at 51 venues at specified periods need to undergo compulsory testing. Those who have finished a COVID-19 vaccination course will not be exempted.

Furthermore, a school is also covered in the same compulsory testing notice due to an outbreak of upper respiratory tract infection and/or influenza-like illness there. Fully vaccinated people can be exempted.

Additionally, people linked to Tower 2, Wing Fai Centre in Fanling, 36B Tai Mei Tuk Village in Tai Po, Tower 3, The Visionary in Tung Chung, Tower 7, Park Avenue in Tai Kok Tsui are reminded to undergo compulsory testing in accordance with the relevant compulsory testing notice tomorrow.

To serve citizens subject to mandatory testing, the Government will set up or reopen mobile specimen collection stations at Tower 6 of The Belcher’s on Pok Fu Lam Road, Tower 10 of Park Avenue in Tai Kok Tsui, Luen Wo Hui Community Hall in Fanling, the open area next to Discovery Bay Fire Station and the open area outside Twilight Court of Peninsual Village in Discovery Bay.

The Government made restriction-testing declarations at Twilight Court in Discovery Bay and Tower 1, The SeaCrest in Tuen Mun from 7pm and 8.30pm today, requesting people within these specified restricted areas to undergo compulsory testing.

People in the Discovery Bay restricted area are required to undergo testing before 1am tomorrow while those in the Tuen Mun restricted area must get tested before 12.30am tomorrow.

The Government aims to finish both exercises at about 7am tomorrow.

A total of 108 cases have been reported in the past 14 days. One of them is an import-related case and the rest are imported cases.

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