Virus testing professionals from the Chinese mainland pose for a group photo after their arrival in Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 2, 2020. Seven virus testing professionals from the Chinese mainland arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon as the first batch of mainland supportive teams to help contain a worsening spread of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

 
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) welcomed and expressed gratitude to the central government on Sunday after the arrival from the mainland of the first members of a team of medical workers sent to help contain the city’s worsening outbreak of COVID-19. 

The liaison office of the central government in the HKSAR also welcomed the first seven members of the medical team who arrived in the city on Sunday afternoon. It said the central government and the mainland public have always been the strongest backers of Hong Kong’s virus fight.

The seven medical workers will begin working in laboratories in the city after meeting with local health authorities and institutes.

The mainland will also help Hong Kong build a temporary modular hospital to treat COVID-19 patients, in addition to the one being set up at the stadium of the AsiaWorld-Expo.

The head of the medical team suggested they would learn details of the equipment, screening sites, and testing process in Hong Kong from local departments upon their arrival, in advance of the planned large-scale coronavirus testing, said media reports.

The spokesperson of the HKSAR government rebutted online rumors that the government would send local residents’ genetic information obtained from the testing to the mainland, saying that all measures by the local government are in full compliance with legal requirements.

The central government's support aims to help strengthen the virus detection capacity in Hong Kong, and all tests will only be conducted in Hong Kong and samples will not be sent to the mainland, the spokesperson said.

The SAR strongly condemned those who deliberately spread rumors to smear and undermine the government’s efforts. The spokesperson said departments are collecting evidence to determine if the rumormongers broke the law.