The Government has made a restriction-testing declaration for Two Island Place, 55 Tanner Road in North Point due to a suspected re-positive overseas case.

The Centre for Health Protection said the 22-year-old male patient left Hong Kong in mid-April and returned on September 12 on Qatar Airways flight QR818 from Serbia. His specimen collected upon arrival at the airport was negative for COVID-19, and the results of the four tests conducted during the compulsory quarantine period were also negative.

Having completed compulsory quarantine at a designated quarantine hotel on September 26, he returned to his place of residence for self-monitoring, during which he went for testing according to the relevant requirements. His sample collected on September 27 tested positive for COVID-19, with a Ct (cycle threshold) value larger than 30. He has not developed symptoms.

The patient had received two doses of Covishield on June 15 and July 15 in India. He also reported that he had tested positive for the virus in India in April. After examining the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory findings, it is considered that this case is compatible with a suspected re-positive overseas case.

As the patient had stayed in Hong Kong during the past 21 days, the Government made a restriction-testing declaration at Two Island Place (excluding G/F and L2 to L4) from 7pm.

“Based on the overseas situation, the case is very likely to involve a mutant strain. The risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher,” the Government explained.

It will set up temporary specimen collection stations at the restricted area and request people subject to compulsory testing to get tested before 2am on September 29. Citizens are required to stay in their premises until all identified people in the restricted area have undergone testing and the results are mostly ascertained. The Government aims to finish the exercise at about 7am tomorrow.

The patient works at 18/F, Tower 2, The Quayside, 77 Hoi Bun Road in Kwun Tong and last went to work yesterday. His workplace and the places he had visited during the incubation period will be included in a compulsory testing notice.

In addition, the centre is investigating two preliminary positive imported cases involving a 23-year-old woman who lives at Tung Yik Building, 8 Yu King Square in Yuen Long, and a 24-year-old woman who lives at Block 20, Fortune Garden, Tam Mei in Yuen Long.

The two women tested negative for COVID-19 in Hong Kong on September 11 and travelled to Jordan the next day on flight QR817. Returning to Hong Kong on September 27 via flight QR818, their specimens collected that day upon arrival tested positive. The samples carried the L452R mutant strain, but not the N501Y or E484K mutant genes. They were both asymptomatic.

Both patients had received the Comirnaty jab in Hong Kong. The 23-year-old woman received her two doses on July 5 and 27, and the 24-year-old woman was vaccinated on July 7 and 29.

Epidemiological investigations and contact tracing are underway. As a prudent measure, the buildings where they stayed and visited in Hong Kong during the incubation period have been included in a compulsory testing notice.