HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced on Wednesday that COVID-19 virus has recently been detected in sewage samples from many areas in the city, indicating that there may be hidden cases in the premises in these areas.

The HKSAR government said that in efforts to combat COVID-19, its Environmental Protection Department and Drainage Services Department, in collaboration with a cross-disciplinary team of the University of Hong Kong, have strengthened the sampling of sewage in all districts of Hong Kong for COVID-19 virus testing.

About 210,000 sets of the COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits will be distributed to residents, cleaning workers and property management staff working in areas with positive sewage testing results showing relatively high viral loads, in order to help identify infected persons, it said.

The HKSAR government also urged RAT kit users to report any positive result for COVID-19 via the government's online platform.

On Wednesday, Hong Kong registered 222 new COVID-19 cases by nucleic acid tests, and 208 additional positive cases through self-reported rapid antigen tests, official data showed.