Covid-19: 3 estate buildings wrongly put under compulsory testing as Hong Kong sees 68 new infections

Residents and visitors of three estate buildings were wrongly told to undergo compulsory coronavirus testing. It comes as the city reported 68 infections on Thursday, 62 of which were locally transmitted cases – 18 cases had unknown origins.

The government announced on Tuesday that visitors and residents of a building would have to be tested if two unrelated coronavirus infections were recorded within 14 days. A list of 43 buildings were then released on Wednesday.

Coronavirus testing Covid-19 virus — File photo: GovHK.

Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease branch, announced on Thursday that three buildings were put in the list by mistake, namely Hiu Sing House in Kwun Tong, On Lam House in Sai Kung, and Wah Yan House in Tsing Yi.

Chuang said the mistake was made as some patients reported a different address to their registered residence, and some had stayed in the hospital for an extended period and had not returned to their home address in a while.

Hong Kong also reported one death on Thursday. The death toll now totals 148 cases.

Meanwhile, the Hospital Authority said that a person who donated blood was later tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday. The blood sample was later retrieved and destroyed.

Hospital Authority Chief Manager Sara Ho urged the public to stay at home during the new year festivities, as the city was expecting a cold surge over the long weekend.