This came as the city's first lockdown had been completed well within authorities' goal of 48 hours and picked up 13 patients among 8,000 residents.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said she would not rule out more lockdowns including the Yau Ma Tei fruit market with at least 16 buildings infected, where government advisor David Hui Shu-cheong from the Chinese University of Hong Kong have called for such actions.

But she said the Centre for Health Protection will closely review districts with more cases before deciding on a most effective measure to cut transmission chains.

Having tested most of the residents – 6,900 out of an estimated 8,000 – on Saturday and another 70 people today, Secretary for Home Affairs Casper Tsui Ying-wai said in a press briefing this evening that he believed most if not all residents have undergone tests and came back with negative results.

Therefore he announced residents tested negative -- distributed with a white wristband -- could leave the restricted area upon registration after 6pm and the lockdown to be completely lifted past midnight for citizens to return to work – six hours earlier than authorities' initial target to unseal the area by 6am tomorrow.

He said home affairs officers have knocked on 3,650 doors in the lockdown area to remind residents to get tested, among which 470 flats did not answer.

“There may not be anyone living in these flats,” he said. “But we've stuck notices at these doors. If there is indeed someone hiding in these units, we'll know as they'd tear the notices when they open their doors.”