One positive case as Yau Ma Tei lockdown ends

Officials on Wednesday lifted an 11-hour overnight lockdown on two streets in Yau Ma Tei after testing 330 people, finding one positive case of Covid-19.

The lockdown, the first example of what Chief Executive Carrie Lam describes as “ambush-style” mass testing operations, kicked in at 7pm on Tuesday as police and health workers moved in without notice to prevent people from leaving an area of Pitt Street and Tung On Street.

The government had said it hoped to conclude the testing and release results by 6am, in time for people to go to work. It announced at 6am that the exercise was over.

Eight temporary test collection stations were set up before midnight, using rapid antigen tests that provided results in about half an hour.

About 380 staff from the the Home Affairs Department, the police and district offices from Yau Tsim Mong and Sham Shui Po took part. Because of the large ethnic minority population, 18 staff who spoke Nepali, Urdu or Hindi were called in and leaflets were produced in those languages.

Staff knocked on 306 doors, receiving no answer at 93 of them. The authorities said some of the flats were vacant while the residents of others may already be in quarantine, but officials will follow up at homes where no one answered the door.

Workers handed out what the government described as “simple food” for those caught out by the sudden testing order, including cup noodles, soup packs and canned goods. Masks and hand sanitiser were also given out.

“The government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding,” the administration said in a statement. “With everyone’s co-operation and efforts, coupling with the tireless efforts from the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results.”

People who’ve been in the restricted area within the last two weeks are still subject to mandatory testing, even if they weren’t present when the testing operation took place.