By The SUN
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| Thousands of people would have been in World-Wide Plaza at the designated time |
Two favorite haunts in Central of Filipino domestic workers have been placed under compulsory testing order after an elderly Filipina resident was found to carry a mutated coronavirus.
A statement released by the government late on Friday
said anyone who had stayed in World-Wide Plaza (only the mall) for at least an
hour on May 1 and 2 must get themselves tested for Covid-19 by May 10.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
The same order applies to anyone who spent at least an
hour in Statue Square on May 2.
Those who had Covid tests on May 1 to 7 are exempted
from the order, as well as those who are fully vaccinated, meaning those who
have had two doses of a vaccine on or before Apr 23 (plus 14 days after
vaccination).
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| Part of Statue Square which is covered by the testing order |
The 67-year-old female patient who was one of three confirmed cases reported Friday is the mother of the Filipina girlfriend of an Indian returnee from Dubai who appears to have spread the variant after getting out of his 21-day hotel quarantine.
Five other infections were linked to the man,
including three Filipina domestic workers and the employer and ward of one of
them.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
Two other places that the patient visited were also
listed in the compulsory testing notice. These are Hing Wah Plaza and New Jade
Shopping Arcade, both in Chai Wan. Anyone who had been to either place for at
least an hour on Apr 29 must have themselves tested by May 10.
Also listed in the notice are 16 mostly kindergarten
and primary schools in which outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection
and/or flu-like illness have occurred.
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The places under the compulsory testing notice are
here: https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202105/07/P2021050700854_366769_1_1620398163831.pdf
Foreign domestic helpers who have yet to get tested
can avail of the services provided by 21 community testing centres across the
city. Booking and walk-in services are available. For information, check out: www.communitytest.gov.hk/en.
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| Call now! |
In addition,
mobile specimen collection stations will be set up at the following locations from
this weekend:
•
Hing Wah Estate Playground No. 1, Chai Wan (May 8 to 10)
• Chai Wan Park (Basketball
Courts No.1 and 2) (May 8 to 10)
• Lay-by at Wan Tsui Lane,
Chai Wan (May 8 to 10)
• Man Tung Road Park
entrance, Tung Chung (May 8 to 9)
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The following
mobile stations will operate as usual, but will open early at either 8am or 9am
during the weekend: Central and Western District (namely Edinburgh Place in
Central, Outside Central Piers No.9 and No.10, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex,
Kennedy Town Playground and Tamar Park in Admiralty).
All persons subject
to compulsory testing may choose to undergo testing via the following routes:
1. To visit any of the
mobile specimen collection stations (see the list and target groups (if
applicable) at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html)
for testing;
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| Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love. |
2. To attend any of the
community testing centres (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en);
3. To obtain a deep throat
saliva specimen collection pack from any of the 121 post offices, vending
machines set up at 20 MTR stations or 47 designated general outpatient clinics
(GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority and return the specimen to one of the
designated specimen collection points (see the distribution points and times,
and the specimen collection points and times, at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html);
4. To undergo testing at
any of the GOPCs of the Hospital Authority as instructed by a medical
professional of the Hospital Authority;
5. To self-arrange testing
provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the Department of
Health (DH) and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results (see the
list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf);
or
6. To use a specimen bottle
distributed to the relevant specified premises by the CHP (if applicable), and
return the specimen bottle with the sample collected as per relevant guidelines.
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| The mobile testing van in Edinburgh Place will open at 8am on Sat and Sunday |
All those subject to compulsory testing must keep the SMS notification containing the result of the test for checking by a law enforcement office.
Any enquiries
on compulsory testing arrangements may be made to the hotline, 6275 6901, which
operates daily from 9am to 6pm. If persons subject to compulsory testing plan
to conduct testing at any of the community testing centres, they can check the
centre's appointment status in advance. The hotlines of the community testing
centres are available at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/info
Anyone who
fails to comply with the testing notices commits and may be fined a fixed
penalty of $5,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing
order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time. Failure
to comply with the order could make the offender liable to a fine of up to
$25,000 and imprisonment for six months.
In addition,
any person who fails to comply with the reasonable request of a law enforcer to
provide information and assistance could be liable to a fine of up to $10,000.
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