The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 33 additional COVID-19 cases, of which 17 are confirmed and 16 are asymptomatic.

The new cases consist of 26 imported ones and seven that are epidemiologically linked with an imported case.

Among them, 28 involve mutant strains, the mutation test results of three cases are pending, while the viral load of the remaining two cases is insufficient for mutation tests. The patients include nine males and 19 females, aged four months to 73.

Details of the seven cases linked to an imported case were announced in the past two days, when the patients tested preliminary positive for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the Government made a restriction-testing declaration covering three premises this evening due to the detection of preliminary positive cases.

The declaration includes Lee Shun Building, 157-159 Lockhart Road in Wan Chai, Block B, The Crescent, 13 Ho Man Tin Hill Road in Ho Man Tin and Yuk Sing Building, 1-9 Yuk Sau Street in Happy Valley.

Separately, a restriction-testing declaration was made for Mayland Court, 1-7 Shelter Street in Causeway Bay, as the sewage discharged from that building tested positive in sewage tests conducted earlier in the area. It is suspected that there are asymptomatic patients in the building.

People within these specified restricted areas are required to undergo compulsory testing.

Meanwhile, in view of two cases who tested preliminarily positive and six possibly import-related cases, 36 specified premises are included in the compulsory testing notice. Two schools are also subject to compulsory testing due to outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection or influenza-like illness.

As multiple premises on the Hong Kong island have been included in compulsory testing notices, two large-scale mobile specimen collection stations have been set up in Victoria Park to provide free testing services to people who reside at or have visited high-risk places.

Plus, the Government will set up and re-open mobile specimen collection stations at various locations for people who are subject to compulsory testing.

A total of 281 positive cases were reported in Hong Kong in the past 14 days. Eighteen of them are epidemiologically linked with imported cases or possibly import-related cases, while the rest are imported.

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