Tai Po residents told to get tested after sewage found with ‘heavy viral load’

By The SUN

All the areas inside the red mark in Tai Po have been put under compulsory testing notice

Hong Kong’s 16 days of no local cases of Covid-19 appears likely to end, with the reported discovery of an infected local man, and the high viral load found in sewage samples collected from the area near his house in Tai Po.

Without confirming the report about the person testing preliminary positive for Covid-19, the government issued a statement earlier today, Jun 23, saying a compulsory testing notice (CTC) has been issued over a large swathe of Tai Po.

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“Since the sewage samples collected in a specified area in Tai Po (see Annex) have tested positive, and a very high viral load is detected in these samples, all buildings and structures (except buildings or structures without any domestic uses) within the area are covered by the compulsory testing notice today (June 23),” said the statement.

The attached map shows that at least eight residential estates or areas are included in the testing order: Classical Gardens, Dynasty View, Grand Dynasty View, The Balmoral, Yat Nga Court, King Nga Court, Tuk Nga Court, and Ha Wun Yiu village.

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The CTC requires anyone who had been present at any of the buildings or structures (except those not used as residences) for more than two hours at any time between Jun 20-23, including residents, visitors and workers, must undergo testing by Jun 25.

According to media reports, about five preliminary positive cases were recorded today, and they include a patient his 20s who lives in the affected area in Tai Po. Tests are still being carried out to find out if he has one of the highly infectious variants.

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However, staff at the Centre for Health Protection declined to confirm the report immediately, saying they were still investigating.

If confirmed, this will be the first local case to be reported in Hong Kong since Jun 7, when a 20-year-old student living in Tin Shui Wai was found infected with a rare strain of the Alpha variant of the coronavirus.

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The variant was first detected in her younger sister, who also passed it on to their mother. The source of their infection remains unknown.

For those issued with a CTC in Tai Po today, here are the places where they can have the Covid test, with the corresponding times of operation: 

Locations	Opening dates and hours
Open area outside Block A (Yat Wing House), Yat Nga Court	June 23  5pm to 8pm June 24 to 25  10am to 8pm
Tai Po Market Station Public Transport Interchange
Ma Wo Road Garden

 

A mobile testing station will be set up outside the Tai Po Market MTR station from tomorrow

In addition, the community testing center at Tai Wo Sports Centre in Tai Po will also extend operation to June 25 (Friday).

 

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Anyone who is ordered to undergo a test may choose any of 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;

2. To attend any of the CTCs (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en);

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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 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.

Any enquiries on compulsory testing arrangements may be addressed to the hotline at 6275 6901, which operates daily from 9am to 6pm. CTCs may also be contacted through their hotlines listed here: www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/info.

Anyone found to have violated a CTN is liable to pay a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would also be ordered to undergo testing within a specified period. Failure to comply with the order could result in the offender being fined up to $25,000 and jailed for up to six months.

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