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

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is looking into 2,535 additional COVID-19 cases, of which 13 are imported and the rest are locally infected.

Among the new cases, 897 were detected by nucleic acid tests while 1,638 were identified via rapid antigen tests.

More than 1.17 million people have contracted the virus since the onset of the fifth wave of the epidemic, involving 8,492 deaths.

The centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said the breakdown of the new cases by nucleic acid tests and RATs showed that people are heeding the Government’s call to take part in the three-day self-testing exercise.

“The overall trend of the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the recent weeks has been decreasing. The number of PCR (polymerase chain reaction)-tested positive cases is below 900 today but the number of RAT-positive cases has increased to around 1,600 today.

“This reflects the participation of the public in self-testing using rapid antigen tests because, according to our previous trend, the number of PCR-tested positive cases and RAT-positive cases should be comparable in recent few days. But the number of RAT-positive cases today exceeds nearly a double of that of PCR-tested positive cases.”

Meanwhile, as a Cathay Pacific passenger flight CX798 from Jakarta, Indonesia on April 8 had five passengers who tested positive upon arrival, the Department of Health prohibited the landing of passenger flights from Jakarta operated by the airline in Hong Kong from April 10 to 16.

This afternoon, the Government made a restriction-testing declaration to cover Hin Yau House of Hin Keng Estate in Sha Tin, citing the viral load in sewage, the information of relevant positive cases and other circumstantial factors. People in this restricted area must undergo compulsory testing before the specified deadline.

Separately, due to a number of positive cases, 25 specified places are included in a compulsory testing notice.

An additional mobile specimen collection station will be set up at the open space next to Lok Him House of Lok Fu Estate tomorrow.

The mobile specimen collection stations in the covered basketball court outside Ming Lai House of Choi Wan (II) Estate, and the basketball court outside Hong Cheung House of Cheung Hong Estate in Tsing Yi will extend services to April 11, the Government added.

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