HONG KONG, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported 12 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking its total tally to 10,896.

The new cases included 11 local infections, of which three had an unknown origin. There were also more than 10 cases testing positive for COVID-19 preliminarily, according to a CHP press briefing.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government has launched a free COVID-19 vaccination program and as of 4 p.m. Tuesday local time, about 70,000 people have signed up for it.

The program started to receive bookings online from Tuesday. Priority vaccination were arranged for five groups of people, including healthcare staff, elderly people and people providing essential public services, and about 200 of them were vaccinated Tuesday.

Under the program, people can receive the jabs at five community vaccination centers and 18 general out-patient clinics of Hong Kong's Hospital Authority starting from Feb. 26.

Chief Executive of the HKSAR Carrie Lam told the media on Tuesday morning that the public responded to the program enthusiastically.

According to the Hospital Authority, 230 COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in public hospitals and the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo, and 17 patients are in critical condition. Enditem

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