Hong Kong Government Issues Testing Notice for 64 Places

The government issued compulsory testing notices for 64 locations around Hong Kong on Sept. 18, requiring any person who had been at any of the premises during the specified dates to undergo COVID-19 testing.

Fifty-one places that have logged an increase in positive COVID-19 cases are subject to compulsory testing. An additional 13 locations have been included in the notice as a result of positive COVID-19 sewage samples collected in Ngau Chi Wan, Sau Mau Ping, Cheung Sha Wan, Chai Wan and Sha Tin.

Mobile specimen collection stations have been placed in different districts to facilitate testing. The government plans to reopen mobile specimen collection stations in Wong Tai Sing, Sham Tseng, and Tsing Yi on Sept. 19.

You can register for Community Testing Centres (CTCs) and mobile specimen collection stations here.

People who have tested positive in the past three months and have self-declared their results to the Department of Health (DH) do not need to undergo compulsory testing. For others, they must complete a nucleic test and cannot use rapid antigen tests to fulfill the requirement.

Additionally, testing received at the Accident and Emergency Departments of the Hospital Authority, or other private laboratories does not comply with the compulsory testing requirements.

If any persons test positive during compulsory testing, isolation arrangements will be no different from other positive cases.

The government will continue to trace potentially infected persons who have visited relevant premises to verify if they have complied with the notice. Any person who fails to comply may face a maximum penalty of HK$25,000 and a six-month imprisonment. Fixed penalty for discharging the liability is HK$10,000. Any person in breach of the compulsory testing order would be liable to a fine of HK$50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

“The government urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or had contact with cases tested positive), to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons” said a government spokesperson.