Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (second left) visited Jat Min Chuen in Sha Tin on Dec 24, 2020 to learn more about the first enforcement action on the COVID-19 compulsory testing notice conducted by the Sha Tin District Office and other departments. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong reported 71 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday as health authorities said they are monitoring a new virus strain from South Africa.

In a media briefing on Thursday afternoon, Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Heath Protection (CHP) communicable disease branch, said the new infections included 61 local cases, of which 30 were untraceable.

Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Heath Protection (CHP) communicable disease branch, said the new infections included 61 local cases, of which 30 were untraceable

She added that there were also 50 persons who tested preliminarily positive. The city’s tally of confirmed cases stood at 8,424.  

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“We are closely monitoring the situation of the new variant associated with the South African strain,” Chuang said, adding that the CHP had consulted the World Health Organization. 

“The CHP’s laboratory would also check and see if we can identify the South African variant but we have not had any imported cases from South Africa for a few weeks already,” she said.

Chuang said that health authorities would have to do more analysis for transit passengers who might carry the new strain.

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“I understand we do not have direct flights to South Africa but then there might be transit passengers from other places. So, we will consider whether more should be done,” she added.

On Dec 18, South Africa’s Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize said they had identified a new variant of the coronavirus that was driving a second wave of infections, days after Britain said it had also found a new variant of the virus boosting cases.

Chuang also urged members of the public to avoid large gatherings during the holidays, noting that recent family clusters were traced to gatherings.

“Try to avoid large gatherings as much as possible to prevent further cases in the coming days,” Chuang said.

According to the Hospital Authority, there were 985 confirmed cases being treated in 23 public hospitals and the community treatment facility at the AsiaWorld-Expo, including 61 who were in critical condition and another 61 in serious condition.

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Meanwhile, the Sha Tin District Office, together with Tin Sum Police Station, the Auxiliary Medical Service, the Housing Society and related departments enforced the compulsory testing notice at Ming Yan Lau of Jat Min Chuen in Sha Tin on Thursday.

Starting at 6 am, residents entering and leaving Ming Yan Lau, which had a COVID-19 outbreak, were required to provide the SMS notification or related certification containing the test results of the virus tests arranged by the government to show that they had participated in such tests as required in the compulsory testing notice.

The government also arranged for staff, together with those from the Housing Society, to visit each household of Ming Yan Lau to check if all the residents had already undergone testing.