Hong Kong to distribute more RAT kits following sewage COVID-19 detection

HONG KONG -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said Sunday that it will distribute a new batch of about 170,000 sets of the COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits in some city areas as part of a follow-up on the recent detection of the COVID-19 virus in sewage samples.

The test kits will be distributed to help identify infected persons among residents, cleaning workers, and property management staff working in the areas with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads, it said.

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

In efforts to combat COVID-19, the HKSAR government's Environmental Protection Department and the Drainage Services Department have strengthened the sampling of sewage in all districts of Hong Kong for COVID-19 virus testing.

On Sunday, Hong Kong registered 94 new COVID-19 cases by nucleic acid tests, and 143 additional cases through self-reported rapid antigen tests, official data showed.