The Yau Tsim Mong District Office liaised and worked with testing contractors to arrange mobile specimen collection vehicles at the section of Canton Road between Jordon Road and Saigon Street (also called Jade Street) to conduct free testing for the residents on January 16, 2020. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong reported 55 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday while more than 80 persons tested preliminarily positive for the coronavirus. 

In a press briefing on Sunday afternoon, Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease branch, said many of the 80 preliminarily positive cases were detected at the Yau Ma Tei temporary testing center. 

In a press briefing on Sunday afternoon, Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease branch, said many of the 80 preliminarily positive cases were detected at the Yau Ma Tei temporary testing center

"The sheer number of cases, so many cases, is a concern, because anyone of them may cause a major outbreak in the community,” Chuang said.

“We hope that the residents in the area will get tested so that we can identify the source of transmission,” she said.

Of the 55 new cases, 51 were local infections and four were imported cases. There were 16 local cases with unknown sources, she added.

On Saturday, over 3,400 people underwent testing in Yau Ma Tei after the government arranged compulsory testing for residents of 20 buildings in the area.

The government said in a statement that over 1,100 residents had undergone mandatory testing while more than 2,300 got tested voluntarily.

A mobile specimen collection station at Kwun Chung Sports Centre and mobile specimen collection vehicles  at the section of Canton Road between Jordan Road and Saigon Street were set up to conduct free testing.

Residents required to undergo mandatory testing may also get it for free at the testing center at Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre.

The Home Affairs Department and its Yau Tsim Mong District Office also arranged helpers who speak Nepali, Urdu and other languages to conduct home visits and explain relevant arrangements at buildings covered by the compulsory testing notices.

They distributed information on the compulsory testing notices in multiple languages and registered residents’ details to facilitate follow-up on mandatory testing in the future.

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Over 440 households were registered on Saturday.

Given the pandemic situation, the government said it understands that residents in the district are worried that the epidemic may spread, adding that the department will arrange cleansing for buildings with one or more confirmed cases.

The government appealed to people who are under compulsory testing notices to get tested as soon as possible within the period specified in the notices.

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Those who fail to comply with the testing notice may be fined HK$5,000 and will be issued a compulsory testing order requiring them to undergo testing within a specified timeframe.

Offenders who fail to comply with the order are liable to a HK$25,000 fine and imprisonment for six months.