The Centre for Health Protection today said it is probing 17 additional COVID-19 cases, of which 16 are imported and one is possibly import-related.

Fifteen cases carry mutant strains, the mutation test result of one case is pending, and the viral load of the remaining case is insufficient for mutation test.

Among the cases, 12 were asymptomatic infections.

The patients involve four men and 13 women, aged 20 to 54. Three patients of the imported cases arrived from high-risk places with enhanced surveillance while 13 were from high-risk places.

Ten of them tested positive upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport and six tested positive during quarantine.

For the possibly import-related case, case number 12656, the patient is an airport ground crew staff member whose specimen collected on December 30 in a mobile specimen collection station tested positive.

Meanwhile, the whole genome sequencing analysis of eight previous cases conducted by the Department of Health's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch confirmed that they all carry the Omicron variant. There are so far 95 Omicron cases in Hong Kong.

Separately, the centre said that none of the 44 environmental samples taken earlier during an inspection at Moon Palace, Festival Walk tested positive. The whole genome sequencing analysis confirmed that cases 12609, 12611, 12637 and 12654 have identical genetic sequences.

A total of 136 positive cases were reported in Hong Kong in the past 14 days. Three of them are import-related cases and the rest are imported.

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