Commuters wear face masks as they travel on a MTR train in Hong Kong on July 29, 2020. (ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP)

HONG KONG – Hong Kong recorded 12 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Thursday as health officials called for increased public vigilance after over 20 preliminary positive cases were also reported.

In a media briefing on Thursday afternoon, Centre for Health Protection (CHP) officials said the 12 new cases included eight imported infections, two local infections of unknown origin, and two cases linked to an imported case and a local infection, respectively. The tally of confirmed cases stood at 5,491.

The Centre for Health Protection officials said the 12 new cases included eight imported infections, two cases linked to imported cases, and two local infections of unknown origin

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“We’re following up over 20 preliminary diagnosed cases, most of which are local cases coming from many districts in Hong Kong and across different sectors,” Wong Ka-hing, Controller of the CHP, said during the briefing.

“If these preliminary positive cases are eventually confirmed, or belong to unknown origins, that will be a very important statistic in demonstrating that community transmission chain is on the rise and the pandemic will be expected (to have) a huge rebound,” he said.

“The public must raise their vigilance and must avoid unnecessary going out and social gatherings and also should maintain social distance and personal hygiene to stop the further spread of the pandemic to an uncontrollable stage,” he added. 

Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the CHP, said the eight imported cases came from the Philippines, the United States, the United Kingdom, and India.

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According to the Hospital Authority, there were 109 patients being treated as of Thursday in 19 hospitals, including eight patients in critical condition and two in serious condition.

Also on Thursday, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said it would add Ecuador and Germany to its official list of high-risk places starting November 28.

The HKSAR government earlier imposed testing and quarantine conditions on travelers coming from high-risk places to reduce the health risk they may bring to Hong Kong.