A medical worker guides a resident at a mobile nucleic acid testing site in Hong Kong, April 19, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong government on Sunday urged residents to remain on guard against COVID-19, noting that there was still a possibility that the number of cases could rebound.

In a statement issued on Sunday morning, the government said that while the fifth wave of the pandemic has been substantially contained, the risk of a rebound remained after the gradual resumption of social and economic activities in the city.

The government also urged residents aged 60 or above to receive a fourth vaccine jab while reminding others not to submit false information on the government online platform for reporting positive rapid antigen test results

 “In view of the more frequent traffic and social activities recently, citizens should not lower their guard even when the emergence of individual infection clusters is expected and various epidemiological monitoring indicators have remained stable in Hong Kong,” the statement reads.

With multiple cases detected in some bars and restaurants, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the police inspected more than 1,200 catering premises and other establishments on June 2 and 3.

The FEHD decided to go after the operators of six catering premises in Mong Kok, Wong Tai Sin and North Districts and four bars in Central and Western and Mong Kok districts suspected of breaching virus curbs. 

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The government also urged residents aged 60 or above to receive a fourth vaccine jab while reminding others not to submit false information on the government online platform for reporting positive rapid antigen test results. 

“It is indispensable for citizens to continue adhering to anti-epidemic measures so that Hong Kong may build a stronger protection barrier against the virus,” a government spokesman said. 

"We call on different sectors of the community to join our efforts in protecting public health, thereby enabling Hong Kong to make steady strides along the path to normalcy," he added.

Meanwhile, a positive case was detected on Sunday during an overnight testing operation at Block 6, Richland Gardens, Kowloon Bay, where 565 residents were tested for COVID-19.

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