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| Indonesians, like all other FDWs, are forced to stay in cramped dorms while waiting for new work visas |
An eighth Indonesian domestic worker who had stayed in a
boarding house was among 33 new Covid-19 cases reported by Hong
Kong health authorities today, Aug. 11.
According to Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection,
the Indonesian helper took care of at least three elderly people before she was
found infected.
Between Jul 16 and 23, she reportedly helped a fellow maid look
after an elderly woman in Shau Kei Wan.
Between Aug 3 and 6, she stayed in her new employer’s house
in Chung Yeung Mansion
In between, or from Jul 23 to Aug 3, she stayed in a
dormitory on the 9th floor of Cheung Hing building in Mong Kok, along with
about 10 other domestic workers. It is unclear who was running the place.
While in Chung
Yeung Mansion
Chuang said the source of the helper’s infection is still
unknown. The CHP is reportedly checking on her previous employer, while all her
close contacts will be quarantined and tested.
She is the eighth Indonesian DH to have been included in the
infected list since Aug 5, when the first patient who stayed in four different
hostels, was reported.
Yesterday, four Indonesians who all stayed in a Tsuen Wan
dormitory run by the David Cheung employment agency, all tested positive for
the coronavirus disease.
The string of cases sparked fears of contamination in packed
dormitories, prompting the government to announce that it would conduct tests
on all FDWs staying in agency-run hostels.
But it is unclear if the targeted testing, which should have
started last Sunday, has actually begun.
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| It's unclear if testing of all FDWs in agency-run shelters such as this has begun (RTHK photo) |
Among the cases noted today were those that occurred at Hung
Yu Mansion on Castle Peak Road Kowloon
According to Chuang, after a cluster of infections were
found in two blocks of the estate, specimen samples were handed out to
residents, and many new patients with no symptoms were found, including a
cleaner.
Two new cases were also linked to Kwong Wah hospital, including
a male nurse who had runny nose but continued to work until yesterday. His wife
who also works in the hospital, has been classified as close contact, and will
be quarantined.
Another nurse in the E7 ward of the hospital tested
preliminary positive. She lives in a building where there is a confirmed case,
and the Hospital Authority is checking whether her infection is related to
Kwong Wah.
Because of the continuing infections in the hospital, the
CHP has asked an infectious disease expert from the University of Hong Kong
Chuang reported only one imported case today, a seafarer who
had flown in from India via Doha in Qatar
Although the number of cases has dropped significantly from
last week, Chuang urged caution, saying there were still about 50 preliminary
positive cases today.
Also, about half of the 32 local cases were of unknown
source, indicating that there could be a lot of asymptomatic patients moving
around in the community.
The continuing rise in the death toll, mostly involving the
elderly, is also causing concern.
According to Sara Ho, chief manager of the Hospital
Authority, two more deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, which raised
the total toll to 58.
But 125 other patients recovered and were discharged, for a
total recovery figure of 3,052.
There are now only 988 patients still confined in 18 public
hospitals and the treatment facilities in
Lei Yue Mun and the AsiaWorld-Expo. Thirty-two of them are in critical
condition, 61 are seriously ill, and 895 are stable.
