Covid Cluster Emerges At Another Block In Yau Ma Tei

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Friday that it had identified another residential building in Yau Ma Tei with a cluster of Covid-19 infections, as the authorities ramped up testing in the area.

The centre's Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said four people living in the block at 15-27A Pitt Street had come down with the virus. They live in three separate flats in the building.

All the other residents in the block will have to get tested.

The authorities are now issuing mandatory testing orders if just a single infection is found in buildings in the district.

Chuang was repeatedly asked at her regular press conference for a list of the buildings involved, after the health secretary earlier announced the stricter policy.

But Chuang stressed that the move was a decision made by the Health Bureau and her department is not involved in arranging tests for the residents affected.

"For the mandatory testing, it is not related to the CHP's manpower because all the mobile testing stations and the community testing centres are contractors. They are arranged by the private labs," she said.

Chuang urged people to go online later to find out the exact buildings involved.

Meanwhile, residents of a public housing block in Chai Wan, Hiu Fung House at Fung Wah Estate, will also be forced to have Covid-19 tests after people living in two units there came down with the coronavirus.

Hong Kong reported a total of 38 new Covid-19 infections on Friday.

Thirty-five of the new patients caught the virus in the SAR, and health officials were not able to find the source of transmission for 14 of them.

There were also around 40 preliminary positive cases, including a school bus driver and a construction worker.