A woman (center) buys flowers at a market in Hong Kong on February 11, 2021. (ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong reported nine new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the lowest daily case load since the fourth wave of infections began in mid-November.

In a press briefing on Monday afternoon, Ronald Lam, Controller of the Centre for Health Protection, said the new cases included five imported cases and four local infections. The tally of confirmed cases stood at 10,788. 

Lam urged members of the public not to let their guard down, noting that the numbers might again go up if there were numerous large gatherings during the Chinese Lunar New Year. 

Albert Au, Principal Medical and Health Officer of the CHP's communicable disease branch, said three local cases were untraceable while one was linked to a previous case

“Looking back at the past experience in the past year, usually after long vacations, after that kind of  gathering, we usually see some form of upsurge so we don’t rule out the possibility that the number of cases would come up again,” Lam said.

“So, we need to observe for that trend and be very, very cautious,” he added.

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Lam also noted that those who were not feeling well might not have been inclined to see a doctor during the holidays. 

Albert Au, Principal Medical and Health Officer of the CHP's communicable disease branch, said three local cases were untraceable while one was linked to a previous infection.

The untraceable cases included that of a 34-year-old male baker and a 65-year-old female law firm clerk.

Au also said that fewer than than 10 people tested preliminarily positive, including a 39-year-old housewife from Diamond Hill, an eight-year-old girl, and a senior fireman in Kwai Chung. If his tests results are confirmed, then around 20 close contacts would have to be quarantined. 

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Au also said that the imported cases involved three foreign domestic worker from Indonesia, another foreign domestic worker from the Philippines, a seafarer from Poland, and a flight attendant from Turkey.

Meanwhile, Lam said said that the government had extended the operating hours of sample collection points to attend to the number of people who want to be tested.He noted that they could also get specimen collection packs at 20 MTR stations.

Lam said 27,000 people got tested at the city’s different testing centers on Sunday while the specimen collection centers received 15,000 specimen bottles. He added that Hong Kong’s testing capacity was over 100,000 tests a day.