The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 81 additional COVID-19 cases, of which 78 are locally transmitted.

Among the local cases, 35 have unknown sources of infection. 

At a press briefing this afternoon, the centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said 21 of the newly infected patients live in Yau Ma Tei and six live in Sham Shui Po.

Another patient, from the Sheung On Elderly Home in Jordan, tested positive after being placed in a quarantine centre. Dr Chuang explained that there may be a small-scale hidden transmission of COVID-19 in the elderly home.

Dr Chuang added that 26 residents of Kensington Plaza in Jordan had been evacuated and the other residents concerned had been accounted for.

The Department of Health yesterday announced the decision to issue quarantine orders for all asymptomatic residents of the building’s C units on all floors and transfer them to quarantine centres.

Separately, three buildings in the Sham Shui Po specified area were included in a compulsory testing notice on January 23.

Compulsory testing was also extended to another three buildings with confirmed and epidemiologically unlinked cases in two or more units each in the past 14 days.

For implementing the compulsory testing notices for such areas, the Government will set up a mobile specimen collection station at Kwong Ming Street Children’s Playground in Wan Chai on January 24.

The service period will be extended to January 26 for the mobile specimen collection stations in Maple Street Playground and Kwun Chung Sports Centre, as well as the mobile specimen collection vehicles at the section of Canton Road between Jordan Road and Saigon Street (also called Jade Street). 

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.