HONG KONG, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- More than 1 million Hong Kong residents have pre-registered for the ongoing mass testing program of COVID-19 by noon of Saturday as Hong Kong is striving to stop the spread of the virus.

Patrick Nip, secretary for the civil service of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, revealed the figure on Saturday and called for the active participation of residents to cut transmission chains in communities.

The government has decided to extend the week-long program launched on Tuesday by another four days to next Friday.

Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection on Saturday reported seven new cases of COVID-19, including two found in the universal testing program, taking the total tally in Hong Kong to 4,857.

There are currently 236 patients hospitalized, with 23 in critical condition.