Thousands of frontline police officers must undergo daily coronavirus tests before reporting for duty amid Hong Kong’s worsening fifth wave of infections, force insiders said on Friday.

The new measure would come into effect on Friday night and officers involved could only report for duty if they tested negative, according to one source.

“The move will help identify carriers early so that the virus can be better contained within the community,” the insider said.

The new measure was outlined in the force’s internal notice issued by its Support Wing on Thursday. Police began handing out rapid antigen test kits to frontline officers on Friday morning.

Since the city entered its fifth wave of infections in January, dozens of officers have tested positive for the coronavirus. The city confirmed 3,629 new infections on Friday, as well as 7,600 preliminary-positive cases.

The Post learned that each police station was given thousands of rapid self-testing kits.

“All officers attached to first response units, who are frequently performing relatively high risk duties, will be given rapid antigen test kits to test themselves on each working day in the coming two weeks,” the source said.

He said this included officers working in the emergency unit, patrol-sub unit, police tactical unit and quick reaction force, as well as those who were on duty in the report room of each police station.

Another source said the new measure would last for two weeks, but it might be extended, and officers from other units would also have to undergo daily tests if the outbreak remained severe.

In regard to the handling of detainees, the source said they would be escorted to hospital for medical treatment if they showed any symptoms of Covid-19.

But he added that in some circumstances where sending a detainee to hospital within a reasonable time was not practical, a rapid test kit might be provided for urgent use.

On Friday, a team of about 20 crime-squad officers were forced isolate at home after three of nine robbery suspects caught in Kwai Chung on Thursday night tested preliminary-positive and were sent to hospital for treatment.