Extra Test For Discharging Care Home Covid Patients

Health officials said on Saturday that they're requiring an additional PCR test for coronavirus patients who live in care homes before discharging them from hospital.

A chief manager from the Hospital Authority, Larry Lee, said the new measure, which takes effect from Saturday, aims to ensure patients have recovered from Covid-19 and won't infect other elderly or disabled residents upon returning to their facilities.

"For the patients who received two or more [doses] of vaccine, on top of the rapid antigen test, we want a PCR test. When (they have) achieved either a negative or a CT value of more or equal to 30, we can let them go back to the hostels. However, for some cases that received less than two [doses of] vaccine, such cases need to be isolated in either the hospital, CIF (community isolation facility), or holding centre up to day 14," Lee said.

"We aim to increase the protection to [others] in the hostels, because they are more prone to severe illnesses."

Four more care homes have reported new infections, with dozens of residents sent to quarantine.

A staff member at Chi Yun School, a special needs school, came down with the virus, resulting in 13 students being isolated.

An infirmary ward of Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital saw a total of 20 cases among patients and staff, after two more male patients staying there were infected, but authorities believed the situation is now under control.

Pok Oi Hospital Tin Ka Ping Infirmary, meanwhile, added four more infections.

In total, the SAR reported 2,995 new coronavirus cases, including 204 imported infections on Saturday.

There were no new Covid-related deaths.