Mass Covid Testing Produces 10 Cases So Far

The Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip on Sunday said the universal Covid-19 testing programme has identified 10 patients so far, including four previously confirmed cases.

Speaking on a radio programme, he said around 1.08 million people have signed up for the community-wide testing scheme as of 9 am, with more than 860,000 people having had their test samples taken already.

Nip said if many people take part in the testing programme, the results may serve as a reference for resuming normal activities locally and for other governments to consider reopening their borders to visitors from Hong Kong.

He added that 44 testing centres have been fully booked, and the scheme may be extended for three more days to September 14.

The government, meanwhile, continues to hit back at those it says were spreading rumours discouraging people from taking part.

Writing on his blog, the Chief Secretary, Matthew Cheung, criticised people for spreading online inaccurate information about the testing scheme.

Cheung insisted the scheme can help identify "silent transmitters" of Covid-19 in the community and contain the outbreak.