The Centre for Health Protection today said it is looking into 140 additional COVID-19 cases, among which 15 are imported and 125 are locally reported.

At a press briefing this afternoon, the centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan noted that 94 patients are linked to Yat Kwai House in Kwai Chung Estate, while an additional case was detected from Tai Wo Hau Estate.

In view of a positive case involving a mutant strain, the Government made a restriction-testing declaration this evening to cover Fu Keung House, Tai Wo Hau Estate.

Meanwhile, the centre announced that 13 virus cases related to pet shops have been identified so far.

From the 738 environmental samples collected from the city’s pet shops and relevant warehouses, 35 tested positive, up from 34 yesterday, with the additional sample involving i love rabbit on Lee Garden Road in Causeway Bay. As a prudent measure, this place will be included in a compulsory testing notice, and the staff working there will be arranged to undergo compulsory quarantine.

As for animal samples, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department said: “Out of the 125 samples taken by the department earlier on from a pet shop, Little Boss in Causeway Bay under the i love rabbit group, seven samples drawn from seven hamsters tested positive. Separately, out of the 49 samples collected from another outlet in Causeway Bay under the same group, two samples from two hamsters also tested positive.”

Over 100 preliminary positive cases have been found today, Dr Chuang added.

Two patient care assistants, one working at Prince of Wales Hospital and the other one at Princess Margaret Hospital, tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19. The former patient lives in Yat Kwai House in Kwai Chung Estate, while the latter visited a friend living in Yat Kwai House.

Furthermore, a contract technical assistant of the Housing Department tested preliminary positive. He also resides in Yat Kwai House.

In view of the cases which tested preliminary positive and those confirmed positive, as well as the sewage samples collected in Kwai Chung which also tested positive for the virus, 35 places are covered in a compulsory testing notice.

The Government will reopen mobile specimen collection stations at various locations in the city, while the service period of the one at Maple Street Playground in Sham Shui Po will be extended to January 26.

Separately, as Qatar Airways passenger flight QR818 from Doha, Qatar, arriving on January 21 had 11 passengers who tested positive upon arrival, the Government decided to prohibit the landing of passenger flights in Hong Kong from Doha operated by the carrier from today until February 5.

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