Hong Kong to distribute around 1 lakh sets of RAT kits to follow up on sewage Covid detection

The Hong Kong government has said that it will distribute around 100,000 sets of Covid-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits to people in an area of the region as part of a follow-up on recent detection of the Covid-19 virus in sewage samples.

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The test kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers and property management staff working in estates in Kwun Tong and Wong Tai Sin with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads, in order to help identify infected persons, Xinhua news agency reported.

The government also urged RAT kit users to report any positive results for Covid-19 via the government’s online platform.

In an effort to combat Covid-19, the government’s Environmental Protection Department and the Drainage Services Department have strengthened the sampling of sewage in all districts of Hong Kong for the virus testing.

On Saturday, Hong Kong registered 176 new Covid cases by nucleic acid tests, and 270 additional cases through self-reported rapid antigen tests, official data showed.