A girl wearing a face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 plays with a balloon outside a shopping mall in Hong Kong on May 22, 2021. (KIN CHEUNG/AP)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong reported one imported COVID-19 case on Wednesday, pushing the city’s tally to 11,945, as it boosted its virus testing capacity to 100,000 tests per day.
The new patient is a 32-year-old man who arrived from Greece and showed no symptoms, according to a statement issued by the Centre for Health Protection.
About 59,700 Hong Kong residents received a vaccine shot on Tuesday, the government said in a separate statement.
Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-Chee said Hong Kong has substantially increased its virus testing capacity to 100,000 tests per day
It said 1,645,286 residents had been fully vaccinated, accounting for about 22 percent of the city’s entire population. About 2,441,000 had received at least one dose since the city’s vaccination program started on Feb 26.
ALSO READ: HK logs 1 case, US consulate staffer again tests positive
Meanwhile, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-Chee said Hong Kong has substantially increased its virus testing capacity to 100,000 tests per day.
“Through the sustained efforts of the government and the cooperation of contractors, the current maximum testing capacity of public and private laboratories has been substantially increased to approximately 100,000 tests per day (without sample pooling),” Chan said in a reply to a query at the Legislative Council.
Chan said that, through various channels of specimen collection, the government can collect samples from a maximum of about 100,000 members of the public for testing each day.
“In early May, specimens were collected from over 100,000 members of the public per day on average when foreign domestic helpers underwent compulsory testing, showing that the government can meet unexpected testing demand in an efficient and flexible manner to strengthen disease prevention and control in Hong Kong,” she added.
READ MORE: HK eyes Singapore's new virus strategy ahead of travel bubble