The SUN HK : 2 Filipinas with coronavirus variant among 11 new infections

By Vir B. Lumicao

The 3 FDHs were found infected while in quarantine at various hotels

Three foreign domestic helpers, comprising two Filipinas with the highly infectious N501Y variant and one Indonesian woman, were among 11 coronavirus cases that were confirmed by Hong Kong health authorities today, Mar 5.

The new cases took the total tally of confirmed infections in Hong Kong to 11,067.

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The first Filipina, aged 29, arrived from Manila on Feb 19 and tested negative upon arrival at the airport but developed symptoms four days later while in quarantine at Ramada Hong Kong Harbour View in Sai Ying Pun.

She was confirmed positive on Thursday after her second test, a spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection said.

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Another Filipina, 25, tested negative upon arrival in Hong Kong on Feb 20. She was asymptomatic but returned a positive result after her second test on the 12^th day of quarantine at Metropark Hotel Kowloon in Homantin.

The two brought to seven the number of new arrivals from the Philippines found to have the variant in the past 10 days.

The Indonesian helper, 45, arrived from Jakarta also on Feb 20 and was negative during the airport test. She stayed for her quarantine in Ramada Hong Kong Harbourview in North Point, where her second test was positive.

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Among the newly reported cases are four local with unknown sources while the remaining four were linked to previous infections.

A 37-year-old Sri Lankan woman who was among 10 people reported as preliminary positive by Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan in the CHP’s press briefing yesterday was confirmed positive today.

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She was working as a part-time domestic helper in a village house in Clearwater Bay. The case, however, was considered as a local case with no known source of infection, a CHP spokesman said.

The first case with unknown sources was a 47-year-old man from Discovery Park, Tsuen Wan, who developed fever on Mar 1. His sample collected on Mar 3 tested positive.

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The patient is a clerk of the Labour Department at the Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices. He last went to work on Wednesday, the CHP said.

The second case with unknown sources was an 18-year-old male student from Hiu Fai House, Hiu Lai Court, Sau Mau Ping. He developed a headache and fever on Feb 22.

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His sample was collected on Mar 1 and tested positive yesterday. He did not return to school when face-to-face classes resumed on Monday.

A 48-year-old man who developed fever on Mar 1 was the third case with unknown sources. Sample collected from him on that day was confirmed positive yesterday.

Health officials said he is a clerical staff who lived in Kui Yan Court, Sai Ying Pun and last went to work on Feb 26.

A total of 235 cases have been recorded in the past 14 days from Feb 19 to Mar 4. They included 197 local cases, of which 66 had unknown sources.

The CHP said its epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing.

The CHP reminded those who had visited specified venues under the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation (Cap. 599J) to undergo nucleic acid testing as required in the compulsory testing notice. It urged the public to see a doctor if symptoms develop.