HONG KONG -- Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Matthew Cheung said on Sunday that the HKSAR government will take a string of anti-epidemic measures as the number of local COVID-19 cases with unknown sources of infection is still high.

To achieve the strategy of "early identification, early isolation and early treatment," the HKSAR government will launch a massive, free COVID-19 testing on Sept 1, which is expected to be completed within two weeks, Cheung wrote in a blog.

The competition for effective COVID-19 vaccines will be fierce and the HKSAR government is actively following up the procurement of vaccines, he noted.

The HKSAR government has committed more than 145 billion HK dollars (about $18.7 billion) in the first two rounds of relief measures under the anti-epidemic fund. To benefit more industries affected by social distancing measures, the HKSAR government will roll out another round of the fund.