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

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 31,008 additional COVID-19 cases, of which two are imported and the rest are locally infected.

Hospital Authority Chief Manager Dr Larry Lee said at a press briefing this afternoon that the authority has come up with a number of measures in an attempt to increase the capacity of public hospitals to accommodate the increasing number of COVID-19 patients.

He said: “Other than the tier-1 and tier-2 isolation beds, we are working at full speed and trying to elaborate on the general wards. As I mentioned before, we tried to install fans and also enhance the engineering design to try to make sure that there is a safe environment to capacitate COVID-19 patients.

“We have been exploring plans with some private hospitals, especially the CUHK Medical Centre, and we are at the very last part of the negotiations. I think that can start operating very soon.

“We have to make sure some designated hospitals can operate and receive COVID-19 patients. Therefore, the chronic patients and convalescent patients there need to be accommodated. Private hospitals actually have contributed to accommodating these patients.”

The authority also announced that from tomorrow, it will activate the East Kowloon General Out-patient Clinic, Mrs Wu York Yu General Out-patient Clinic and Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic to treat COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms who require medical advice while awaiting admission to hospitals or isolation facilities.

Separately, the Government placed eight buildings under restriction-testing declarations as sewage samples there tested positive for the virus. They include Lok Ching House, Yan Ching House, Hong Ching House of Kai Ching Estate in Kowloon City; Shin Oi House, Shin Leung House, Shin Yung House of Long Shin Estate in Yuen Long; and Hoi Chun Court, Hoi Chu Court at Aberdeen Centre. People in these areas must undergo compulsory testing before the specified deadline.

As there were positive sewage test results in several areas of Sha Tin, Southern, Kwun Tong and Yuen Long districts, district offices will distribute COVID-19 rapid test kits to relevant residents as well as cleansing workers and property management staff working in those areas from tomorrow.

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