Chief Executive Caarrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor waves to mainland support team members while attending a thank you ceremony at the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong on Sept 15, 2020. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Tuesday expressed her gratitude to those who made it possible to conduct for two weeks the universal free coronavirus testing. 

More than 1.78 million people got tested through the program which began on Sept 1 and ended on Monday, according to official figures

She thanked the central government, 6,000 local medical professionals, 4,000 civil servants, community leaders, logistics workers as well as a mainland medical team consisting of more than 570 members for their involvement in the program that had identified by Monday 32 people infected with COVID-19.

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Speaking at the farewell ceremony on Tuesdya, Lam said the universal testing program has helped cut the transmission chain of the virus in the community, allowing the gradual relaxation of the social distancing measures.

"It is a challenging yet honourable mission to complete nearly 1.8 million nucleic acid test in a short period of time. It fully reflects the effort made by every staff member who worked in the Huo-Yan Laboratory, as well as the care and concern of the central government and people in the mainland for the people of Hong Kong," Lam said. 

More than 1.78 million people got tested through the program which began on Sept 1 and ended on Monday, according to official figures.