Hong Kong reports zero new local infection of COVID-19

HONG KONG, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) on Saturday reported zero locally transmitted case of COVID-19.

There were eight new imported cases for Saturday, taking the total tally in the financial hub to 11,782, the CHP said in a statement.

As cases involving a highly contagious coronavirus variant were found recently, the government of the Hong Kong Special administrative Region has taken more efforts to prevent a possible outbreak, including compulsory testing.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan on Saturday stressed the necessity of such measures in a bid to identify the sources of those cases as soon as possible.

Chan also called on the public to get vaccinated so that herd immunity could be achieved and the people's life could return to normalcy.

Some 1.41 million vaccine doses have been administered in Hong Kong as far, with nearly 500,000 people fully vaccinated.