The Government continues to empower, from February 19 to March 4, a registered medical practitioner to require any person clinically suspected to have contracted COVID-19 to undergo a test.

It exercises the power under the Prevention & Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation and publishes relevant specifications in the Gazette.

To keep the epidemic situation under control, the Government considers it necessary to keep soliciting help from medical practitioners in identifying possibly infected people as soon as possible.

During the 14-day specified period, registered medical practitioners may, by a written direction, require a person whom he or she attends to and clinically suspects to have contracted COVID-19 to undergo a nucleic acid test for the virus.

Recipients should take a test within two days after the issue date of the written direction.

Specimens testing preliminary positive will be referred to the Department of Health’s Public Health Laboratory Services Branch for a confirmatory test. Confirmed cases will be followed up and announced by the Centre for Health Protection.

The Government urges all those who are in doubt about their own health condition or with infection risks to undergo testing promptly.