Hong Kong, Sep 1 (IANS): Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Tuesday urged the public to actively join the Universal Community Testing Program launched by the city government to help break down the chain of Covid-19 transmission.

As of Tuesday morning, about 10,000 people have been tested under the testing program earlier in the day, Xinhua news agency quoted Lam as saying at a press briefing ahead of an Executive Council meeting.

She described the process as simple, safe and fast after she has got tested, adding that the testing program will help fight the epidemic and restore economic and social life.

The Chief Executive said that the number of newly confirmed cases on Monday in Hong Kong fell to a single digit for the second time since the third wave of the pandemic.

The society, however, has paid a huge price including restriction and closure of commercial premises.

Lam noted that nearly a quarter of the confirmed cases in Hong Kong involved asymptomatic patients, hoping the public could view the testing program objectively and give it the greatest support.

On Monday, the city reported nine cases, matching the figure recorded a week earlier, both marking daily lows since July 3, reports the South China Morning Post (SCMP) newspaper.

The official tally of infections stood at 4,810, with 89 deaths.

So far, about 20 per cent of patients have been found to be asymptomatic and not among high-risk groups.