Health workers stand outside a building placed under lockdown at the Kwai Chung Estate public housing complex in Hong Kong on Jan 22, 2022. (LOUISE DELMOTTE / AFP)

HONG KONG - Government staff members found three preliminary-positive COVID-19 cases after nearly 6,000 residents and visitors were tested in three Kwai Chung buildings.

In separate statements, the government said two preliminarily-positive cases were found at Nga Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate while one suspected infection was detected in the adjacent Yuk Kwai House during overnight testing operations.

The government added that 2,300 residents and visitors were tested at Hui Kwai House, also in the same housing estate, but no new cases were found.

The government said two preliminarily-positive cases were found at Nga Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate while one suspected infection was detected in the adjacent Yuk Kwai House during overnight testing operations

The three buildings were cordoned off at 8 pm Saturday after a total of 105 positive or preliminary-positive cases of the Omicron variant were detected in the estate.  

ALSO READ: HK logs 26 new virus cases, over 100 test preliminarily positive    

The government said 150 households at Hiu Kwai House did not answer the door when its staff members knocked while 115 in Nga Kwai House and 100 in Yuk Kwai House also did not reply.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said at a news conference on Saturday that a mass mandatory testing of residents will be carried out in the entire estate, which has about 35,000 residents in 16 blocks. The residents will be tested several times.

Another 2,000 residents of two buildings at the adjacent Kwai Fuk Court also face mandatory testing, Lam said.

READ MORE: 2nd Kwai Chung block in 5-day lockdown as Omicron spreads