Officials Urge Caution Over Drop In New Infections

Health officials have urged the public to remain vigilant against the coronavirus despite a slight drop in new infections, saying the virus is still being transmitted widely in the city.

Authorities reported 39 new Covid cases on Thursday, all but one locally acquired.

Twenty of the infections were untraceable.

Some cases were reported from areas covered by strict mandatory testing rules, with three in Mong Kok, two in Sham Shui Po and one in Jordan.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said although the number of infections recorded in these areas had fallen slightly, more time would be needed to observe whether the outbreaks there were under control.

She noted that other cases were spread out across the city.

"I look through the unlinked cases and their addresses. The cases are spread throughout the territory... they live in Lok Fu, Tai Kok Tsui, Ngau Tau Kok, Yuen Long, Tai Po, North District, Taikoo Shing and Central… So I think the cases are widespread in the community," she said.

"If any of them come into a situation where there may be super-spreading events, that may cause another major outbreak. So we have to be careful."

Meanwhile, people living in Block 7 of Laguna City in Lam Tin were being required to get tested for Covid after three cases were reported from two different units in the building.

Chuang said the two flats were on different floors but faced the same direction. She said officials were not sure whether the cases were linked.

In addition to the confirmed infections, more than 40 other people had tested preliminary positive for the virus, officials said.