Small Queue Forms At Yau Ma Tei Testing Centre

Around 10 people were seen queuing up outside a new, temporary coronavirus testing centre in Yau Ma Tei on Monday amid warnings that the SAR is starting to see a rebound in Covid-19 cases.

The government announced on Sunday evening that it has decided to set up temporary testing centres in Wan Chai, Kwai Tsing, Kowloon City and Yau Tsim Mong districts, in light of the worsening coronavirus situation in the city.

The Wan Chai and Kwai Tsing temporary testing centres commenced operation on Saturday, and the Food and Health Bureau said on Sunday evening that it had collected specimens from 1,844 people at the two sites.

The Kowloon City and Yau Tsim Mong centres started collecting specimens from residents from 8am on Monday.

About 10 people were seen waiting outside the Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre on Monday morning.

A male retiree, surnamed Wu, told RTHK that he had got there half an hour before the doors opened.

He said that he decided to get a test because he comes into contact with a lot of people – from accompanying elderly people as they go from care homes to hospital for consultations, to tutoring students – and he decided to get the test for his own peace of mind.

Wu said he has seen that a lot of people in the Yau Ma Tei area have been less concerned about wearing masks recently, and a lot take them off to smoke cigarettes.

An elderly woman, surnamed Ng, said she found out about the free tests in her area through a radio news report. She said she seldom goes out on weekdays but had decided to get checked because the temporary test centre is so close to where she lives.

Another person standing in the queue, surnamed Chuang, said he works as a security guard and his company is now requiring all employees to get tested for Covid-19.

Sources told RTHK that Hong Kong is expected to record 11 new Covid-19 cases on Monday. Hong Kong has so far had 5,182 confirmed coronavirus cases.