CE says HK on target to attain ‘zero local infections’

By Daisy CL Mandap 

CE Lam says only 1 untraceable local case was found in 24 days

Chief Executive Carrie Lam has trumpeted Hong Kong’s achievement in putting its coronavirus cases largely under control, as the city recorded just one imported infection today, May 18.

Speaking ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lam said Hong Kong is about to achieve its goal of “zero local infections”, even as many neighboring places are grappling with a surge in Covid-19 cases.

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“There have been rebounds in the number of cases in the cities around us, but with the cooperation and efforts of Hong Kong residents, we have been able to keep the city safe. At this stage, I can say that we may be able to reach ‘zero infections’ in the city,” she said.

Lam said that except for the case of the four-year-old boy whose case was reported on Saturday, the city has not had an untraceable local infection in the past 24 days. 

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But even that could be shown as "false positive" after the boy was found negative of the virus in subsequent tests at the hospital. Neither does he have antibodies, which could show a healed infection.

About two dozen pupils and teachers in the boy's kindergarten school in Shek Kip Mei were moved to a quarantine hotel after he tested positive, but no other case appears to have been found.

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Earlier, a 29-year-old man working in BGI laboratory was also listed as a confirmed case with an untraceable source. However, tests by experts showed it to be a case of contamination, and the man was taken off the city’s infection tally.

The Centre for Health Protection meanwhile said that the sole imported case today involved a 42-year-old male seafarer who arrived from India on May 16 and tested positive at the airport.

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CE Lam said two million doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered so far to residents, but more people should take up the offer to get free jabs to help get the city back on track.

“We could do much better in terms of vaccination,” Lam said. “We have enough supply - I said that we have administered 2 million doses, but we have another 2 million doses in our storeroom.”

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She added the city has set up a vast network of vaccination centers, and from today, has even extended vaccine outreach services to major companies that can assemble staff of between 150-200 who will receive the jab.

About 170 staff at Deloitte received BioNTech jabs in the city's first vaccine outreach 

Separately, the government said in a statement that the outreach vaccination service was extended to staff at auditing firm, Deloitte today. More than 170 staff members of the company reportedly received the BioNTech vaccine.

In her press conference, the top official brushed aside concerns that Hong Kong is being too careful with reopening its borders.

Her comment came a day after the long-planned air travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore was postponed for a second time following a surge of infections in the city state.

Lam said that while it is important to resume activities like travel, people’s safety is still her primary concern.

"We will not sacrifice this very important mission just because we want to rush to resume travel,” the top official said.

She said she hoped everyone appreciated the “highly responsible attitude” taken by both Singapore and Hong Kong in postponing the quarantine-free travel bubble, which was supposed to kick off on May 26.

"We need solidarity and cooperation in order to effectively fight Covid-19,” she added.

However, Lam said there is no need to review or suspend the Return2HK scheme, which allows Hong Kong residents who return to the city from the mainland or Macau to be exempted from quarantine.

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