The Centre for Health Protection today said it is looking into 13,277 additional locally acquired COVID-19 cases, of which 2,986 were identified through nucleic acid tests and 10,291 via rapid antigen tests.

Separately, 647 imported cases were detected.

Nine residential care homes for the elderly and nine for disabled people logged 19 cases involving their residents as well as seven infections among staff.

Meanwhile, there were 1,849 positive cases concerning 1,528 students and 321 staff filed by 913 schools. Seventeen schools were advised to suspend face-to-face lessons for one of their classes for seven days.

In addition to reporting that 23 patients passed away in public hospitals due to the coronavirus, the Hospital Authority registered nine more critical patients, bringing the number of patients in critical condition to 69.

Separately, in light of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the community and care homes, the Social Welfare Department announced that three holding centres will soon start operation to receive relevant patients who are asymptomatic or showing mild symptoms. 

The quarantine centres at Tsuen Wan West Sports Centre and Lung Sum Avenue Sports Centre will be converted to holding centres on December 12 and 14 with 126 and 131 beds respectively.

A new holding centre at AsiaWorld-Expo Hall 8, which provides 204 beds, will start operation on December 14.

All three centres will provide basic meals and nursing support free of charge.

Due to a number of positive cases, 37 specified places are included in a compulsory testing notice. It also covers another five places in Tai Wai, Sha Tin and Kwai Chung where some sewage samples tested positive for the virus.

The Government will reopen the ad-hoc mobile specimen collection station at Lido Garden in Sham Tseng tomorrow, while the collection station at On Yam Estate in Kwai Chung will extend its services to December 11.

As there were positive sewage test results with relatively high viral loads in several areas of Sha Tin and Yuen Long districts, the 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.