A medical staff takes the temperature of a foreign domestic helper before she receives a free COVID-19 test at Henry G Leong Yau Ma Tei Community Center, Hong Kong on Dec 18, 2020. (PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong health authorities vowed to improve their computer system so that people who had themselves tested for COVID-19 would be notified of the results via SMS within 48 hours.

The Food and Health Bureau (FHB) made the pledge came after about 800 people failed to get their negative test results via SMS after they availed of the government’s free virus testing.

The Food and Health Bureau (FHB) made the pledge came after about 800 people failed to get their negative test results via SMS after they availed of the government’s free virus testing

“At present, people will receive SMS messages containing their negative test results if they receive free testing at community testing centres, or obtain specimen bottles through private doctors, designated General Out-patient Clinics of the HA (Hospital Authority), post offices and MTR stations and return the specimen samples for testing,” the FHB said in a press statement issued Wednesday morning.

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“We will continue to improve the system so that people receiving tests can be notified of the test results via SMS messages within 48 hours as far as possible,” it added.

Previously, only people who tested positive for the virus were notified by health authorities but the system was later upgraded so that everyone who availed of the government’s free virus tests received their results via SMS. 

Due to the new virus clusters that emerged in city’s residential buildings, the government set up on Tuesday two more temporary specimen collection stations close to Tak Tai Building in Tai Wo Hau and Ming Wah Dai Ha in Shau Kei Wan.

This brought the total number of collection stations across the city to 13, in addition to 19 community testing centers.

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The testing centre in Yau Tong Community Hall extended its free services to residents and workers of Lei Yue Mun Estate up to at least Sunday, as multiple cases were found at the estate’s Lei Sang House.

Hong Kong reported 63 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the lowest daily count since Nov 21, bringing the city’s total of confirmed infections to 8,300.