Hong Kong: The Hong Kong government announced that it will distribute around 40,000 sets of Covid-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits as part of a follow-up on the recent detection of the virus in sewage samples.
The test kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers and property management staff working in estate in Kwun Tong with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads, in order to help identify infected persons, reports Xinhua news agency citing the government as saying.
The government also urged RAT kit users to report any positive results for Covid-19 via its online platform.
In an effort to combat Covid-19, the Environmental Protection Department and the Drainage Services Department have strengthened the sampling of sewage in all districts for virus testing.
On Saturday, Hong Kong registered 491 new cases by nucleic acid tests, and 360 additional cases through self-reported RAT, official data showed.
Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, Hong Kong has reported a total of 1,218,361 Covid cases and 9,390 deaths.
(IANS)
