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| CHP's Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan and Chief Executiver Carrie La in separate press conferences. |
New Covid-19 cases dropped to 1,407 today, down 27 per cent from 1,921 the day before, continuing a steady decline in the city's infection rate in the past few weeks, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) reported today.
Of these new cases, 698 tested positive through PCR (plus 13 imported cases), while 709 were detected through rapid antigen tests (RAT).
CHP also reported 57 additional deaths, against 52 the previous day.
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CHP's Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan noted that the three-day mass testing with the rapid antigen-test (RAT) kits distributed to households last week, yielded 2,875 new cases that were voluntarily reported by residents from Friday to Sunday.
Of the RAT positives, 80 per cent just needed to isolate at home.
About 65 percent of the RAT positives were asymptomatic while 35 percent showed symptoms during the three days.
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Previous statistics show that 65 percent of patients detected by RATs had symptoms. This proportion dropped to 35 percent during the three-day voluntary testing period, suggesting the exercise helped to flush out asymptomatic patients, who may have been unknowingly spreading the disease.
"Fewer cases were reported on the second and third day of the mass testing period (Saturday and Sunday), perhaps because most invisible patients have been detected on the first day,” Chuang said.
In the wake of the three day RAT exercise, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced that all 800,000 students and school staff must undergo a daily RAT test to prevent a Covid-19 resurgence when face-to-face classes resume from April 19.
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To support this requirement, the government will distribute 10 million rapid test kits for free, for schools to distribute to an estimated 300,000 pupils in need, she said. Those who test positive must report their results to their schools and the Centre for Health Protection, so they can be taken care of.
“I must admit that there may be risks when we resume in-person classes after the Easter break, and I cannot rule out that there might be a rebound in cases. But having assessed the pros and cons, the government believes that we will be able to control the risk, because at the end of day, we put students’ interests first,” she said.
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All pupils will be allowed back to school, but those who are unvaccinated will be barred from taking part in non-academic activities such as music and sports, which was “for their own protection”, she added.
If at least five percent of pupils and staff from a school test positive, or if 10 percent or more of them in the same class have been infected, classes will be suspended and an investigation will be launched, according to Secretary of Health Ronald Lam.
