The Government tonight made a restriction-testing declaration for Block 6, Handsome Court in Tuen Mun in view of an imported preliminary positive COVID-19 case found involving the L452R mutant strain.

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is following up on an imported COVID-19 case involving a 36-year-old woman who travelled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates on July 12 and returned to Hong Kong via Bangkok on July 19.

Her specimen collected upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport tested negative for COVID-19 but her samples on day three after her arrival tested preliminarily positive. She is asymptomatic.

The test result by the Department of Health’s Public Health Laboratory Services Branch revealed that the patient carries the L452R mutant strain but does not carry the N501Y or E484K mutant genes.

Its investigations also revealed that she received two doses of the BioNTech vaccine in Hong Kong on May 9 and June 5, while her blood specimen tested positive for anti-spike protein antibodies on July 11.

During the past 21 days, the patient had stayed in Hong Kong from June 30 to July 12. As a prudent measure, the Government decided to make a restriction-testing declaration for Block 6, Handsome Court where she had resided.

The declaration took effect from 7.30pm and aims to be finished by about 7am tomorrow. People in the area subject to compulsory testing will need to be tested by midnight.

People in the restricted area who have undergone testing from July 20 to 22 and can provide an SMS notification through a mobile phone or related certification containing the test results do not need to be tested again.

Those residing in the same building will also be subject to compulsory testing on the third, seventh, 12th and 19th day counting from the day the case is announced.

Four specified premises are included in the latest compulsory testing notice. The Government will set up mobile specimen collection stations at the area near Tang Kung Mansion, Kam Din Terrace in Taikoo Shing, and at Taikoo Park outside One Island East tomorrow to provide a free testing service for people subject to compulsory testing.