THOUSANDS FLOOD NEW RAPID RESULTS PLATFORM
Users must supply their personal details, symptoms and information on household as test portal goes live, while city confirms 25,150 new infections
Thousands of people logged in within minutes to a new platform for Hong Kong Covid-19 patients to submit positive rapid antigen test results at launch yesterday, as the city confirmed 25,150 new coronavirus infections.
The platform, delayed since last week, went live at 6pm via the website www.chp.gov.hk/ratp, with the queue number at nearly 10,000 just three minutes later.
Users are asked to provide personal details as well as those of household members, symptoms, living environment and the condition of the others in the home.
They will then receive an SMS with a link to upload a photo of their positive rapid test result and identity card. They can then download an isolation order, and health authorities will make arrangements to determine whether they need to be sent to hospital or quarantine facilities.
Household contacts will also receive an SMS to upload their details and download a quarantine order.
“Because the rapid antigen test is quite popular and easy to use … it gives a relatively sensitive result so it is a very good tool to be employed at home for early detection and early isolation to help curb the spread of disease in the community,” said Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP).
“It will also help the department to get more comprehensive and updated information on the current disease situation in Hong Kong.”
Alternatively, users can call the 1836 119 hotline and provide their phone and identity card numbers to register an infection, though officials said submitting information electronically was fastest.
Health officials will also provide registered residents with electronic wristbands and an anti-epidemic pack, which includes masks and test kits. However, officials said it might take time in the early stages owing to a high number of anticipated reports. Those who were found to be positive via rapid tests between February 26 and March 5 can upload their results before March 14 for them to be valid.
All but 32 of the latest infections were locally transmitted. The city’s official tally stands at 496,767.
The Hospital Authority reported a record 161 fatalities in the past 24 hours, involving patients aged from 29 to 102. Of those, 126 had no vaccination records.
Another 119 people, aged 50 to 101, died earlier but the cases were only reported yesterday because of a backlog. The city’s Covid-related death toll is now 2,287.
The authority also announced that two children, aged four and eight, with underlying medical conditions, died yesterday morning. Both tested positive for Covid19 and had received one dose of the Sinovac vaccine. Their cases have been referred to the coroner. Their deaths will be included in the authority’s figures today.
As of Sunday night, 75 patients were critically ill, while 106 were in a serious condition.
Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun, the authority’s director of strategy and planning, said high-risk patients would be given priority admission to hospitals. They include those aged 70 and above, children under the age of five, women who are at least 28 weeks pregnant and immunocompromised patients.
She added that oral pills for treating the coronavirus would be available at 17 designated clinics from this month onwards, but authorities were still discussing how to prescribe them to patients and the side effects.
High-risk patients could also call 1836 115 for a doctor’s remote consultation, with 100 service lines currently available, she said.
Dr Albert Au Ka-wing of the CHP said the death rate of people who had received two or more doses of Covid-19 vaccine was 0.05 per cent, and 1.4 per cent for those who were unvaccinated or only had one jab.
For those aged 80 or above, the death rate was 1.86 per cent versus 9.49 per cent.
Separately, a new Fire Services Department hotline that allows Covid-19 patients to ask for spots in community isolation centres received thousands of requests after less than a day of operation, with hundreds of users already sent to facilities for quarantine.
Priority will be given to those with mild or no symptoms, and to people whose homes are unsuitable for isolation, according to security chief Chris Tang Pingkeung, who is overseeing their operation.
Residents can send requests via WhatsApp to 5233 1833, or via email to fsd_cif@hkfsd.gov.hk. They can also contact authorities at the WeChat account fsd_cif.
The department said it had received 8,091 applications on its platform as of 4pm, adding that 800 patients had been sent to community isolation facilities.
Tsui said the new hotline could help health authorities locate those who were required or preferred to go to isolation facilities.
“If they want to let us know earlier so that a more prompt referral can be made … the FSD can arrange the transferral,” he said.
The hotline’s launch came as occupancy rates were low at some of the city’s isolation centres.
Five of the facilities – the Silka Far East Hotel, the Grand City Hotel, the Junior Police Call Permanent Activity Centre, the Cosmo Hotel Hong Kong and the Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre – were housing only 34 patients between them, as of Sunday.
The rapid antigen test … gives a relatively sensitive result so it is a good tool [for home use]
DR EDWIN TSUI, CHP