Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026
A Behavioral Test Battery for the Repeated Assessment of Motor Skills, Mood, and Cognition in Mice
Published on: March 2, 2019
Findings from the first public COVID-19 temporary test centre in Hong Kong
W L H Leung1, E L M Yu2, S C Wong3
1Department of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, Kowloon West Cluster, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong.
Insights
A Hong Kong COVID-19 test center identified 86 SARS-CoV-2 positive cases. Anosmia and fever were key indicators for coronavirus disease 2019 infection, aiding early detection and reducing spread.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- A temporary COVID-19 testing center was established in Hong Kong to assess high-risk individuals for SARS-CoV-2.
- Early identification of infections is crucial for controlling community spread of respiratory illnesses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the characteristics and outcomes of individuals tested at the temporary COVID-19 center.
- To identify clinical factors associated with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cross-sectional study analyzing epidemiological and clinical data.
- SARS-CoV-2 testing using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on pooled nasopharyngeal and throat swabs.
- Multivariable binary logistic regression to assess relationships between clinical characteristics and positive test results.
Main Results:
- Out of 1258 attendees, 86 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (6.84% positivity rate).
- A significant proportion of positive cases (46.5%) were young adults (15-24 years) with recent travel history (94.2%).
- Anosmia (ORadj=8.30) and fever (ORadj=1.32) were strongly associated with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results.
Conclusions:
- The temporary test center effectively identified individuals with mild COVID-19 symptoms.
- Healthcare providers should consider epidemiological and clinical features for early COVID-19 testing to mitigate community transmission.
Introduction:
The Hospital Authority of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region established a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) temporary test centre at the AsiaWorld-Expo from March 2020 to April 2020, which allowed high-risk individuals to undergo early assessment of potential severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. This study reviewed the characteristics and outcomes of individuals who attended the centre for COVID-19 testing.
Methods:
This retrospective cross-sectional study collected epidemiological and clinical data. The primary outcome was a positive or negative SARS-CoV-2 test result, according to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses of pooled nasopharyngeal and throat swabs collected at the centre. The relationships of clinical characteristics with SARS-CoV-2 positive test results were assessed by multivariable binary logistic regression.
Results:
Of 1258 attendees included in the analysis, 86 individuals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection (positivity rate=6.84%; 95% confidence interval [CI]=5.57%-8.37%). Of these 86 individuals, 40 (46.5%) were aged 15 to 24 years and 81 (94.2%) had a history of recent travel. Symptoms were reported by 86.0% and 96.3% of individuals with positive and negative test results, respectively. The clinical characteristics most strongly associated with a positive test result were anosmia (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj]=8.30; 95% CI=1.12-127.09) and fever ORadj=1.32; 95% CI=1.02-3.28).
Conclusion:
The temporary test centre successfully helped identify individuals with COVID-19 who exhibited mild disease symptoms. Healthcare providers should carefully consider the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 to arrange early testing to reduce community spread.
