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12 new Covid-19 cases reported, including 2 Filipina DHs with variant

19 April 2021

By The SUN

The 2 Filipina DHs with the variant had flown in via CX 906

Twelve additional cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) were reported today, Apr 19, all but one of them imported.

The only local case was linked to an earlier cluster of infections detected at Oi Fai House in Tuen Mun.

Of the 11 imported cases, three were also found to carry the highly infectious N501Y variant, including two foreign domestic helpers from the Philippines, aged 35 and 36; and a year-old baby boy from India.

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The two Filipina DHs triggered a two-week suspension of Cathay Pacific flight CX 906 starting today as it carried at least two passengers who tested positive on arrival on two different flights from Manila. The flights arrived on Apr 14 and 17.

Since the FDHs were also the 4th and 5th passengers from the Philippines found to be carrying the variant on arrival, a total flight ban on the Philippines would have taken effect.

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But this was superseded by last night’s decision by the Department of Health to impose the two-week flight suspension on all flights not just from the Philippines, but also from India and Pakistan.

This was prompted by fears that the mutated virus had spread within the community after an Indian man who had flown in from Dubai was found to have the variant  10 days after being released from his 21-day hotel quarantine.

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His girlfriend with whom he had stayed in a flat in Jordan after his quarantine was also found to carry the variant, the second local case detected.

This prompted health officials to clamp down on the three countries from where the most number of imported cases with the variant had come from recently, relegating them to the “extremely high risk” category, and imposing a flight ban on them for 14 days.

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Aside from the two FDHs, one other passenger from the Philippines was found infected on arrival on Apr 18. The 44-year-old female resident came in via Cebu Pacific flight 5J 272.

There were also six other passengers from India who were found infected, apart from the baby who tested positive for the mutated form of coronavirus on his 12th day sample.

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Three of them all took Vistara’s flight UK 6397 which arrived yesterday, comprising two females aged 22 and 53, and a 32-year old male.

Another passenger from India, a 27-year-old man, arrived on Apr 17 via flight QR818, and tested positive at the airport. The two remaining ones both tested positive on their second sample taken on the 12th day of their hotel quarantine, a 45-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man.

More residents have been evacuated from Oi Fai House after a new infection was found

Today’s sole local case prompted the evacuation of  all remaining asymptomatic residents on the 8th floor of block 2 of Oi Fai House, Yau Oi Estate, who will all be sent to quarantine centers. Those found with symptoms will be sent to hospital for treatment.

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One preliminary case was reported today, involving a 31-year-old woman who works at a clinic in The Centrium on Wyndham Street in Central. She is linked to the woman living on Parkes Building who was reported positive yesterday.

All her close contacts, including fellow staff and patients, have been sent to quarantine, while the building was put under compulsory testing notice.

Meanwhile, the government said a 21-year-old female kindergarten teacher who was listed as a preliminary case on Apr 17 by the Centre for Health Protection has not been confirmed to have the virus.

A sample taken from yielded an indeterminate result after being tested by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Department of Health. Further tests on her at a hospital showed she was negative for Covid-19 and did not have antibodies.

“As such, the case will not be classified as a confirmed case at the moment,” said the government statement.

CHP had earlier said that about 100 people deemed to be close contacts of the kindergarten teacher had been sent to quarantine, including fellow guests at a wedding banquet where about 200 guests had gathered.

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