HONG KONG, Sept. 1 (CGTN) - Residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) are queuing up for nucleic acid tests as the city rolled out free universal testing from September 1, with the help of the central government.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam and other principal officials will undergo testing at the Central Government Complex of the HKSAR.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Lam appealed to the public to participate in the testing and called on people to see the program in a "fair and objective light."

Hong Kong has reported over 4,800 infections since the virus first hit the city in late January, with 88 deaths. About 75 percent of those infected were detected in another wave of COVID-19 that began in early July.

Tests will be offered for one to two weeks depending on public demand, with numbers limited each day.

So far, 510,000 people have signed up to take the free tests. A total of 141 community test centers have been set up throughout the city.