Hospital Authority discovers suspected contamination in a batch of flocked swabs
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) today (May 10) announces an event of the discovery of suspected contamination in a batch of upper respiratory tract flocked swabs:
The Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) laboratory recently conducted routine testing on a batch of three-in-one (viral transport medium and flocked swabs) specimen collection kits and detected anomalies, with subsequent testing revealing weak positive results for COVID-19 in some flocked swab samples. The HA takes this event very seriously and, upon receiving the report from PMH, a series of measures have been implemented immediately to ensure patient safety and testing accuracy:
- Immediate suspension of all flocked swabs from this supplier and arrangement of alternative flocked swabs from other suppliers;
- Enhanced sampling and testing of the supplier's specimen collection kits delivered in January this year that had previously passed routine sampling tests; and
- Review of test results of patients who had used the affected flocked swabs.
The HA conducted repeated testing on 100 samples from the same Lot of flocked swabs, ultimately identifying 18 samples that showed weak positive results for COVID-19.
The flocked swabs were procured from a local supplier and delivered to the hospitals under the Kowloon West Cluster (KWC), including Caritas Medical Centre, Kwai Chung Hospital, North Lantau Hospital, PMH and Yan Chai Hospital (YCH) from January to the end of April this year. Since the flocked swabs were sealed in packaging, the HA's microbiology experts, after analysing the test results, estimate that the flocked swabs were contaminated before delivery to the hospitals.
In addition, the HA has reviewed the patient cases that used these flocked swabs for COVID-19 testing from January this year onwards. A 91-year-old female patient admitted to PMH and an 82-year-old male patient admitted to YCH were identified as likely false positive. Both patients had CT values above 38, showed no obvious respiratory infection symptoms, and were immediately tested negative on repeated testing by doctors. No antiviral medication was prescribed, and both patients have been discharged earlier. The hospitals have informed these two patients about this event.
After consulting microbiology experts, the HA has determined that the residual virus on the contaminated flocked swabs is biologically inactive and non-infectious, and there is no health risk to patients who have undergone testing with these flocked swabs.
Records show that approximately 27 000 flocked swabs from the lot concerned were used in KWC. Besides the two possible false positive cases mentioned above, no other unusual cases were identified. The recent COVID-19 positive rates in KWC remain comparable to other hospital clusters.
A spokesperson stated, "The HA is following up on this event stringently and has notified the Department of Health (DH). We have demanded the supplier of the flocked swabs concerned to thoroughly investigate its quality control and testing records, provide an explanation, and implement remedial measures. The HA does not rule out taking further action to hold the supplier accountable."
The flocked swabs concerned are BABIO Lot No. 24090511, primarily supplied to the hospitals under KWC. This event does not affect patient clinical treatment or testing services.
The HA will continue to closely follow up with DH and the supplier. The supplier will be required to provide quality control records and testing certifications in the future to prove that their testing supplies meet with the stringent requirements so as to ascertain patient safety and testing accuracy.
EDB reminds parents to choose primary schools under Central Allocation process for their children
The Education Bureau (EDB) today (January 12) reminded parents that children who have joined the Primary One Admission (POA) System for 2026 but have not yet secured a discretionary place can take part in the Central Allocation process for a Primary One (P1) place in a government or aided primary school. Parents concerned should make their choice of schools within the period from January 19 to 25.
Digitalisation of POA
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In line with the Smart Government strategy, the EDB has fully implemented digitalisation of the POA. Parents who have registered as POA e-Platform (ePOA) users and have bound their account to "iAM Smart+" may submit the Choice of Schools Form for Central Allocation from January 19 to 25 through the ePOA. Please refer to the related videos and Parent's Guide on the EDB's website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/spa-systems/primary-1-admission/poa_eplatform/index.html) for details of the procedures for activating and logging into an ePOA account and for making school choices for the Central Allocation of POA via the e-Platform.
Making school choices at Central Allocation Centres
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The EDB will send letters to parents on January 14 inviting them to make their choice of schools. To cater for the needs of different parents, parents can still submit the Choice of Schools Form in paper form by visiting the designated Central Allocation Centre at the suggested time slot (i.e. 9.30am to 12.30pm or 1.30pm to 4.30pm on January 24 (Saturday) or 9.30am to 12.30pm on January 25 (Sunday)) stated in the letter.
Parents who are ePOA users may choose to submit the Central Allocation Application via the ePOA or in paper form to the Central Allocation Centre but should not submit duplicate applications. Parents who have not yet received the letter by January 19 should call the School Places Allocation Section of the EDB (Hotline: 2832 7700) as soon as possible.
Only one parent of an applicant child is required to complete the school choice-making procedures. Parents are advised not to take their children to the Central Allocation Centre if possible. Parents who cannot make school choices within the suggested time slot can go to the designated Central Allocation Centre from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on January 25. The Choice of Schools Form will be sent together with the letter to parents who have submitted a paper Application Form at the Discretionary Places stage for filling out in advance.
In the event of adverse weather or other special conditions on any day during the period of making school choices, please pay heed to radio or television announcements on the relevant special arrangements.
Unable to submit application within specified choice-making period
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For individual parents who are unable to use the ePOA or go to the Central Allocation Centre to make school choices, they can authorise in writing a representative to bring the completed Choice of Schools Form and their signed Letter of Authorisation to the Central Allocation Centre to proceed with the related procedures.
To apply for POA 2026 for their children after January 25, parents need to complete necessary procedures with the School Places Allocation Section, which will separately arrange P1 places for the applicant children in June.
Change of residential address
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An EDB spokesman reminded parents that, if they have recently moved their residence or have such plans in the near future, they are required to inform the School Places Allocation Section as soon as possible so that they can make school choices in the POA School Net where their new home is located. Parents should fill in the actual residential address of their child. If they provide a false address for securing a P1 place, the POA application of their child will be rendered void and the P1 place allocated will be withdrawn.
The EDB has put in place a monitoring mechanism to verify the residential addresses of applicant children as given by the parents. Random checks have also been stepped up. The public may call the School Places Allocation Section to report suspected cases of using a false address by parents for their children's POA application. The EDB will take action against false address cases.
Mechanism of Central Allocation
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Central Allocation is composed of two parts. Part A, which takes up 10 per cent of the P1 places earmarked for Central Allocation, is for unrestricted school choices. Parents can choose up to three government or aided primary schools in any school net. Part B takes up the remaining 90 per cent of the P1 places earmarked for Central Allocation. Parents of applicant children residing in the school net concerned are to select schools from the "Choice of Schools List for Central Allocation (Primary One Admission 2026)" of their school net, while parents of applicant children who intend to commute daily to schools in Hong Kong are to select schools from the "2026 Choice of Schools List for Central Allocation (For Applicant Children who intend to commute daily to schools in Hong Kong)". Parents should fill in the Choice of Schools Form in the order of their preference.
The mechanism of the Central Allocation is based on parents' choices in general. The computer-programmed allocation will first process the school choices in Part A and then the school choices in Part B. For oversubscribed schools, the order of priority in allocating places will be determined by random numbers generated by the computer for individual applicants to ensure fairness.
For information about the procedures for Central Allocation, please call the EDB's 24-hour automatic telephone enquiry service at 2891 0088.
Release of Central Allocation results
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For parents who have already activated their ePOA account via "iAM Smart" or "iAM Smart+", they will receive their Central Allocation results through the ePOA from 10am on June 3. Parents who wish to receive the allocation results via SMS on June 3 may choose such an option in the Choice of Schools Form. In addition, the allocation results will be sent to parents by post on June 3 and 4.
Source: AI-found images
