The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 1,721 additional locally acquired COVID-19 cases, of which 610 were directly identified through nucleic acid tests and 1,111 via rapid antigen tests which were verified.

Separately, 139 imported cases were reported.

The centre also received notifications of 199 positive cases from 163 schools, comprising 164 students and 35 staff.

The cluster of a restaurant at Chelsea Heights in Tuen Mun registered 10 more infections, bringing the number of COVID-19 cases there to 37. An outbreak had taken place at the restaurant where 26 patrons and a family member of one customer had caught the virus.

Meanwhile, the Government made a restriction-testing declaration to cover Block 1, Saddle Ridge Garden in Ma On Shan, requiring people in the restricted area to undergo compulsory testing before the specified deadline.

Due to a number of positive cases, 45 specified places are included in a compulsory testing notice. It also includes four buildings where some sewage samples tested positive for the virus.

Mobile specimen collection stations have been set up in different districts to facilitate testing in compliance with the compulsory testing notice.

As there were positive sewage test results with relatively high viral loads in several housing estates in Sha Tin and Yuen Long, the Housing Department and respective district offices will distribute COVID-19 rapid test kits to relevant residents as well as cleaning workers and property management staff working there.

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