The SUN HK : CG pushes for migrant workers to benefit from $5k aid to Covid-19 patients

By Daisy CL Mandap

CE Lam briefs diplomats and business reps on her policy speech

Consul General Raly Tejada has asked the Hong Kong government to include migrant domestic workers among those who would be given $5,000 financial assistance in case they contract Covid-19.

ConGen Tejada made his appeal during Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s briefing on her policy speech before diplomats and business representatives today, Nov 26.

ConGen said he pushed for the Covid relief aid to be extended to all non-permanent residents, particularly migrant workers.

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“I had to ask on behalf of our community (and the rest of the ethnic minorities),” he said.

In reply, CE Lam reportedly said that everyone in need would be helped.

The financial grant, announced earlier this week by Health Secretary Sophia Chan, was meant to encourage people to submit themselves to testing and not be held back by fears that they’d lose income if they were found infected.

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Chan said the grant will be given to those in need, but also said no means test will be used to screen applicants. No cut-off date was announced, either.

The news came as Hong Kong confirmed 81 new coronavirus cases Thursday, with 59 of the patients belonging to the dance cluster.

The total number linked to this group, from which the first infections were found only last Friday, now stands at 311.

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It is the third day in a row than more than 80 new coronavirus cases were reported. The highest daily tally for the current wave was the 83 posted yesterday.

The new cases brought the city’s total tally of confirmed infections to 5,947, with 108 deaths. More than 60 preliminary positive cases were also reported on Thursday.

Among the new cases were six imported ones, including two male air crew members who arrived from the United States, and returnees from Qatar and Turkey. The information on the sixth is still pending.

Thirteen of the local cases are of unknown sources.

There are now 311 patients linked to the dance cluster

Included in the dance cluster are a 77-year-old doctor who works part-time in Fu Shan Estate near Diamond Hill and a health care worker in To Kwa Wan.

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Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said that seven more venues had been linked to the cluster. These are Lucky Dragon restaurant in Shek Kip Mei, Lucky Dragon Restaurant in Choi Hung, Bandstage Live Music in Wong Tai Sin, A&B Dance Studio in Causeway Bay, Rendez Vous Arts in Prince Edward, and Philip Wain beauty and fitness centers in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay.

She noted in particular the large group of people who gathered at Bandstage on the night of Nov 20.

Chuang said those who have visited these places would also have to undergo mandatory Covid-19 testing in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Hospital Authority chief manager Dr Linda Yu said steps have been taken to stop a vendor from sending wrong results for people who tested for Covid-19.

Six people who tested positive were wrongly told they were virus-free, but Yu said the mistake was immediately detected and the patients were sent to the hospital for treatment.