People take COVID-19 vaccine at a mobile vaccination station at Lok Wah Estate (South), Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, Dec 6, 2021. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong reported 37 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, including one untraceable local infection, bringing the tally to 12,902. 

The untraceable case involved a 58-year-old woman who works at several supermarkets across the city, Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Health Protection's Communicable Disease Branch, said in a briefing.

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She lives at Lee Shun Building in Wan Chai, where some 80 residents were tested overnight in a targeted testing operation. No more positive case was detected.

In a statement, a spokesman for the Education Bureau clarified that the current arrangements for face-to-face classes will continue at this stage. The response came as there is a rumor circulating on the internet that the bureau "is considering suspending all face-to-face classes before Wednesday"

The woman has not been vaccinated and carried both N501Y and T478K mutant strains, indicating a high likelihood of Omicron variant. 

Chuang said the woman worked at different outlets of Mannings, ParknShop, Wellcome and Watsons across the city. She has been to Wan Chai Market, St Paul's Hospital in Causeway Bay and the Hong Kong Brand and Products Expo. The places where she has visited during the incubation period will be included in a compulsory testing notice. 

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The remaining 36 cases comprised 30 imported ones and six local infections that were linked to the expanding clusters involving the highly contagious Omicron variant — a “dance group” cluster and a cluster linked to the Moon Palace restaurant in Kowloon Tong.

A 4-year-old girl in quarantine was among the confirmed patients on Saturday. She is the daughter of a 42-year-old surveyor who on Tuesday was confirmed to be infected. 

Chuang also reported more than 30 preliminary positive cases, including a 39-year-old aircraft cabin cleaner and a 3-year-old boy who studies at Hong Kong Ling Liang Church Kindergarten.

A woman and her 13-year-old kid who studies at Salem-immanuel Lutheran College in Tai Po were also tested positive. Their domestic helper was confirmed infected earlier. The woman and her husband attended local singer Hins Cheung's concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum on Jan 3. 

Given the new cases involving young children, with their schoolmates and teachers who are considered close contacts having to quarantine, public concern has increased about the arrangement of in-person classes. 

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In a statement on Saturday afternoon, a spokesman for the Education Bureau responded to a message circulated online with a rumor claiming that the government is considering suspending all face-to-face classes before Wednesday (Jan 12). 

The spokesman clarified that current arrangements for face-to-face classes will continue for now. 

"Schools will strictly abide by the anti-epidemic measures in accordance with the guidelines issued by the EDB," the statement read.

The bureau will continue to monitor the development and take into account the views of health experts. If there is any change, it will announce the new arrangements as soon as possible.

The government on Saturday also listed seven more places as Group A specified places effective from Jan 11. Non-local residents who had been to Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cote d'Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Laos and Mongolia will not be allowed to enter Hong Kong. 

Hong Kong residents can only board a flight for Hong Kong if they have been fully vaccinated and hold a recognized vaccination record. They will have to undergo compulsory quarantine in a designated quarantine hotel for 21 days, received six COVID-19 tests during quarantine, followed by another testing on the 26th day of arrival in Hong Kong.