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| Officials say the city-wide testing is being extended because of high demand |
Dr Sophia Chan, Secretary for Food and Health, said the
universal testing is an important step in the prevention and control of the
epidemic, and would be beneficial in the city’s preparation “for the next wave
in the winter.”
So far, eight positive cases have been detected from the
mass testing, half of them
previously-known infections, and the other half, new cases.
The four cases were among the 12 new cases reported today.
Also included were five imported cases, including two Filipinas belonging to the same family who tested positive while in quarantine. One is 46 years old, the other is 18.
The older patient developed symptoms on Sept 1, and the younger one two days later. They were both staying at the Ramada Hong Kong Grand Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui when they were found infected on their second test.
Also included were five imported cases, including two Filipinas belonging to the same family who tested positive while in quarantine. One is 46 years old, the other is 18.
The older patient developed symptoms on Sept 1, and the younger one two days later. They were both staying at the Ramada Hong Kong Grand Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui when they were found infected on their second test.
Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said
the two flew in aboard Cathay Pacific’s Flight CX 906 from Manila earlier.
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| The infected Filipinos flew in aboard CX 906 from Manila |
The other imported cases were an Indonesian domestic worker
who arrived on Sept 2, an infant who arrived from Pakistan ,
and another returnee from Pakistan
who transited in Doha , Qatar
Five of the cases were of unknown source, including the four
detected from the universal testing.
Of the two linked cases, one involving a guest at Metropark
Hotel in Mong Kok caused serious concern, as he was found to have stayed on the
same floor as two previous patients, one of whom died before he could be
diagnosed.
“So far, guests in three rooms on the same floor are
infected and they do not know each other. We are worried there might be a
further outbreak there,” Dr Chuang said.
A fourth confirmed case is a relative of the 87-year-old man
who died, and had stayed in the same room. A fifth guest is said to have tested preliminary positive.
Authorities will now evacuate 20 guests and staff linked to
the same floor, and move them to quarantine centres. All other guests and staff
at the hotel will be given tests.
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| 20 people will be evacuated from Metropark Mongkok after 4 guests tested positive for Covid-19 |
As previously reported, the two earlier ones were a
63-year-old male retiree who lives in Kwai Tsing whose main outdoor activity
was visiting nearby wet markets, and a 22-year-old woman who also did not work
and occasionally met up with friends.
The two new cases include a 67-year-old woman who is retired
and lives in Jordan
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The other case is a 46-year-old housewife who may be linked
to a previous case in Tai Wai. One day after getting herself tested on Sept 1,
she and her husband developed a fever.
Her husband, who is a security officer at the Transport
Department, was also tested, and is now classified as preliminary positive.
During contact tracing, it emerged that the husband had met
up briefly with a colleague in late August without wearing a mask. This
colleague later tested positive for the coronavirus, and Chuang says a
transmission might have occurred during their short meeting.
Also at the briefing, Dr Linda Yu of the Hospital Authority revealed that a box
containing test samples that went missing from the outpatient clinic of the
Tseung Kwan O hospital was taken away by a patient who used it to shield him
from the rain, and left in a nearby carpark.
Dr Yu said the hospital has asked those who left samples to
get themselves tested again. She also said the hospital is reviewing its
procedures for turning over the sample bottles to private contractors, to
prevent a recurrence of the incident.
The city’s total confirmed cases now number 4,850, with 94
related deaths. A total of 261 confirmed cases are now in 20 public hospitals
and at the community treatment facility in AsiaWorld-Expo. Among these, 26 are
in critical condition, 14 are serious, and 221 are in stable condition.
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