By Daisy CL Mandap
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| CE Lam worries about the local spread of Covid-19, with many cases unlinked |
Chief Executive Carrie Lam says she has cancelled plans to
travel to
The Centre for Health Protection announced 92 new confirmed infections on the eve of the Lunar New Year, with 80 of them local transmissions, and the 12 others imported.
Thirteen of the cases are untraceable, reinforcing fears that many silent transmissions of the virus are going on in the community.
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Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, CE Lam said she decided to forego attending the opening ceremonies for the Olympics as the city’s pandemic situation has “reversed,” meaning there are more local cases now than imported ones.
CE Lam called the press briefing to reveal the results of an investigation she ordered into whether any of the 15 government officials who attended the Jan 3 party of Natioal People’s Congress deputy Witman Hung had violated health protocols.
Before she spoke, Secretary for Home Affairs Caspar Tsui tendered his resignation and the CE accepted it.
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Tsui was one of two officials who stayed on at the party after 9:30pm, when an infected guest arrived. He admitted to not wearing a mask when he talked to other guests.
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| Caspar Tsui has resigned after being found to have violated gathering restrictions |
Two other officials, Allen Fung and Vincent Fung, were given warnings for their behavior.
Meanwhile, the CHP reminded residents to keep pouring water into their toilet drains to prevent possible transmission within their residential blocks.
CHP’s Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said, “We are now seeing
more horizontal and vertical transmissions. In a densely populated place like
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However, she said this can be avoided if people poured water regularly into the U-trap drains in their flats especially if their windows are closed, to prevent virus-laden air from spreading to other units through these routes.
Among the buildings where environmental contamination is suspected are:
- Hong Tim House in Tsz Hong Estate, where 6 units are affected;
- On Kwai House in
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- Kwai Yan House in Kwai Fong Estate where 6 units
above the 14th floor need to be evacuated
- Ming Lai House in Choi Wan II Estate where three 05
units on the 10th floor are affected
- There could also be transmissions at Tsui Wo
House in Tai Wo Estate, and the CHP has gone there to investigate.
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| Cases involving both the Omicron and Delta variants are being found across the city |
New clusters of infection have also been detected, including four confirmed and one preliminary positive case at the
Another three people working at the Bank of China
in
Of the 13 cases classified as unlinked, two involved the Delta variant and 10, the Omicron. A sample from the last one has yet to be taken and tested.
The two Delta patients involved a 45-year-old man who works in a kitchen at Lok Fu Plaza and lives in Choi Wan Estate. The other is a 69-year-old retiree who lives in Choi Fung Estate.
The Omicron carriers included a worker at the third
runway at
Three people working in Po Lam Estate in Tseung
Kwan O have also tested positive. Two are confirmed cases while one is
preliminary positive.
The other cases involved a wide cross-section of
the population. There was a 50-year-old homeless woman with a registered
address in Sham Shui Po, a 9-year-old who lives in To Kwa Wan, and various
people who live in Tsuen Wan, Kwai Fong, Fanling, Kwai Ching and North Point.
About 95 preliminary positive cases have so far been detected, including a worker at an elderly home in Fung Yam House in Sheng Kung Hui. Some residents there may need to be evacuated.
The city’s confirmed infection case now stands at 14,197, with 213 related deaths.
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