Filipina DH jailed 4 weeks for offering sex online

By Vir B. Lumicao

The magistrate said the defendant's financial need did not justify her engaging in prostitution

A 44-year-old Filipina domestic helper who pleaded guilty to breaching her condition of stay by engaging in prostitution was jailed for four weeks today, Sept 8, by an Eastern Court magistrate.

J. F. Sarmiento’s lawyer said in mitigation that the defendant committed the offense to make extra money due to financial need. But he was rebuked by Magistrate Bina Chainrai, who said her need for money does not justify her committing the offense.

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“Is financial need a ground for mitigation?” the magistrate told the lawyer with sarcasm.

In sentencing the defendant, Chainrai said, “Your employment contract states that you can’t take on another work other than as a domestic helper.”

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The magistrate gave Sarmiento a one-third discount for pleading guilty to the charge and sent her to jail for four weeks.

The charge sheet read to the defendant said that during a police operation on Sept 6 against illegal sex workers in Wanchai, an officer on cyber patrol found an advertisement offering sex to interested males. The ad had a contact number, 9380 4424.

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An officer dialed the number and a woman arranged a meet-up outside the Wanchai MTR station. The undercover officer then met with the defendant.

The two went to Room 118 on the first floor of Park Excellent Hotel in Lap Hing Bldg on Hennessy Road where the woman said she would charge $1,500 for one full sex.      

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The officer paid $1,500 in marked money and went to the shower as instructed by the defendant. When he emerged, he announced he was an officer and arrested the woman. The marked money, a KY Jelly bottle, a red handbag and a mobile phone were seized.

Police said Sarmiento admitted the offense under caution during investigation.

The prosecution said she had a clear record. The prosecutor said the Immigration Department confirmed the defendant was a domestic helper at Elizabeth House in Causeway Bay.

In mitigation, the defense lawyer said Sarmiento was a single mother whose husband left her nine years ago. She is supporting her two daughters, one aged 17 and another who was 15 when she gave birth to a boy, now 7 years old.

An older Filipina who was in the courtroom with two compatriots, later approached the court interpreter outside the courtroom and was overheard as saying she was Sarmiento’s employer.

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Another Filipina DH in hospital, battling stage 4 lung cancer

By Vir B. Lumicao

Maylyn is hoping to get well enough to go home and be with her kids 

A 35-year-old Filipina helper who is waging a battle against stage 4 lung cancer remains hopeful the medical treatment she is getting in Hong Kong hospitals will restore her physical strength to at least enable her to travel home.

Maylyn Mauricio went public with her condition a month after she was admitted to Queen Mary Hospital in Pokfulam following doctors’ detection of her illness during a checkup for breathing difficulty on Aug 5.

The patient, a mother of a boy aged 16 and a girl aged 14, said she was shocked when she was told of the diagnosis. She is the second Filipina to have been reported to be in hospital fighting the disease in the past fortnight.

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 “Nagulat ako nang nalaman kong may lung cancer ako dahil hindi naman ako naninigarilyo,” said Mauricio, who hails from Batac, Ilocos Norte. (I was shocked because I don’t even smoke)

 Nalulungkot ako dahil may dalawang anak ako na nangangailangan pa ng suporta.”

(I am sad because I have two children who still need my support)

 She said she does not know how she got the disease.

 But in a post on the Facebook group DWC Help Group on Sunday, she said she often got  drenched in sweat while sleeping in her “cabinet-size” 18-square-foot room in a 500sq-ft flat with only a small fan to cool her. 

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She also worried about  having been constantly exposed to the formaldehyde that her employer used to disinfect their house against the coronavirus.

The maid said she was seven months into her work contract with her employer whose 80-year-old mother needed to have a companion at home, when she got sick.

The employer sent Mauricio to a private clinic on Aug 5, suspecting she had caught the coronavirus after complaining of painful breathing. The doctor said she needed to undergo further examination and referred her to Queen Mary that same day.

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She said she went home to tell her boss and get some clothes, then went to the hospital. After several clinical procedures the doctors said there was fluid in her lungs that needed to be drained and she had to be confined in the hospital.

The next day, she was transferred to Grantham Hospital, a hospital in Aberdeen which specialized in cardio-pulmonary diseases.

“Dito ako dinala dahil kailangan ma-drain as tubig sa aking baga upang makahinga po ako ng maayos,” said Mauricio. (I was brought here because the fluid in my lungs needs to be drained so I can breathe properly).

Mauricio is confined at Grantham Hospital, which specializes in cardio-pulmonary diseases

Doctors at Grantham inserted a tube in her lung to drain the fluid and took a piece of her tissue for biopsy because of lumps in her neck and collarbone. On Aug 12, her attending physician diagnosed her with lung cancer.

On Sept 1, the doctor referred her to an oncologist at Queen Mary who found out that her lung cancer was at stage 4.

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Mauricio said any day this week, she would be subjected to PET scan for a thorough check of her entire body to find out other cancers inside her.

She said doctors were baffled because she has both small triangular cells, which indicated lung cancer, as well as circular cancer cells.

Mauricio is also scheduled for a CT scan on Sept 18, but that could be precluded by the earlier and more comprehensive PET scan.

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Meanwhile, the helper said she chats regularly with her employer although they have not seen each other in person since she was admitted because visitors are not allowed inside hospitals.

The employer reportedly told Mauricio to inform her when the hospital would discharge her so her employment agent could assist in her repatriation.

Mauricio said she had also gotten in touch with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration but no one from there or the Consulate has checked up on her.

But welfare officer Virsie Tamayao has reportedly promised to help book her flight and arrange for her transport back to her home in Batac.

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The patient said her fellow members in the born-again church, Fishers of Men Ministry, have been bringing her food and other things she needs, although they can’t go beyond the hospital lobby.

“Ayaw ko munang umuwi dahil mahinang-mahina pa ako. Magpapalakas muna ako ng katawan. Natatakot ako sa Covid at hindi ko pa kayang magbiyahe nang malayo pauwi sa probinsiya,” the patient said.

Besides, she said she knows she can get better hospital treatment here than at home, and won’t even have to worry too much about the cost for as long as she has her Hong Kong ID.

 In her Facebook post, Mauricio said she ultimately looks to divine healing: “Despite this condition po, I am praying and hoping that God will help me to get through this. And I will be healed!”

(Those who want to get in touch with Maylyn for financial help and moral support may send her a message directly to her telephone number: 5286 4193)

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Newly arrived Filipina DH one of 11 new Covid-19 cases

By The SUN

Dr Chuang says the Filipina DH was returning to work in HK when she tested positive at the airport

A newly arrived Filipina domestic worker who was set to return to her work in the city was among 11 new cases recorded in Hong Kong today, Sept 7.

The Filipina, who should have presented a negative test result for the coronavirus upon check-in at Manila International Airport, was the only imported case reported.

According to Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection at today’s press briefing, six of the new cases are linked to previous infections. Five were detected from the universal community testing program, including one linked case.

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All but one of the six linked cases were related to what Dr Chuang had called as a “small-scale outbreak” in the Transport City Building in Tai Wai, where a total of nine cases have so far been detected

As a result of the new cases, about 20-30 people working on the sixth floor of the building will be quarantined. Out of a total of 12 units on that floor, four have tenants who have been infected.

“We think there is a small-scale outbreak in [the building],” Chuang said. “We will conduct testing on people from the entire block.”

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The Tai Wai cases include an office worker on the sixth floor, whose colleague had tested positive earlier. Another had visited a warehouse on the same floor.

A staff member of the management office on the ground floor also caught the virus, along with two family members who tested positive after being admitted to Yan Chai Hospital, as well as a close contact.

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Among the four cases caught through the UCPT and whose sources are unknown are: a pregnant woman who dispensed Chinese medicine from a shop on Prince Edward Road West; a retiree who bought groceries from the Yeung Uk market; a 63-year-old man who works at Ka Ho Restaurant in Ngau Tau Kok and lives in Lam Tin; and a housewife who lives in Wong Tai Sin and exercised regularly and often went to Ngau Chi Wan market.

An Indonesian DH found infected earlier again tested positive during the mass testing (RTHK photo)

There was another positive case detected from the UCTP, a 48-year-old Indonesian domestic worker who was found infected previously while staying in a hostel run by an employment agency in Tsuen Wan. Case No 4249 was not included in the fresh cases as she had developed antibodies on her discharge from hospital on Aug 29.

Meanwhile, a 40-year-old man tested preliminary positive from the UCT yesterday was found negative of the virus during two successive tests at United Christian Hospital where he was taken for treatment. He did not have antibodies, however, meaning he could not have been infected previously.

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Chuang said that for now, the man’s case is considered as a “false positive”.

But she said that the silent carriers detected through the UCTP showed the importance of the mass testing, as “even one or two cases (of unknown source) can leade to an outbreak.”

According to Dr Lau Ka-hin of the Hospital Authority, three patients died over the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 97. Another patient who was diagnosed during post-mortem took the total number to 98.

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The recent fatalities included a 69-year-old man who passed away at Tuen Mun Hospital, and two patients who were admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital: an 82-year-old man and a 96-year-old woman.

The latest cases brought the number of confirmed cases in the city to 4,889. Of these,  329 are still receiving treatment in 19 public hospitals and the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo.

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One Filipina and one Indonesian DH among 21 new Covid-19 cases

By The SUN

 

The community-wide testing has uncovered 15 infections so far, including today's 5

A 33-year-old Filipina domestic helper who arrived from Manila on Friday was among six imported cases out of 21 newly confirmed coronavirus patients today, Sept 6, in Hong Kong, according to health officials.

Five of the new cases were detected through the universal community testing, including a 42-year-old Indonesian domestic helper who was found infected along with her employers, a 92-year-old man and his 89-year-old wife.

The three  who live in Victoria Towers in Tsim Sha Tsui went to the Castle Peak Road testing center in Tuen Mun on Sept 2 and were found positive yesterday, according to Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection.

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The helper reportedly developed symptoms such as a sore throat on Aug 22 while her employers had symptoms on Aug 29. The couple went to a private doctor who treated them for several days, Chuang said.

The doctor and the patients at the clinic visited by the patients will be quarantined and put under medical surveillance.

The two other cases uncovered through the mass testing are a 60-year-old housewife who lives in Tung Chung and a 59-year-old man who lives in Ngau Chi Wan and used to work at Jinlin Palace Restaurant in Wan Chai which has been closed. 

Chuang said officials would continue to monitor the number of cases daily to see whether there was an upward trend. Yesterday, only seven cases were recorded, and 12 the day before.

“We have 21 cases today and five are a result of the universal community testing, which explains a bit but not all the cases,” she said. “We will have to observe day by day to see if there is an increasing trend or not.”

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Apart from the Filipina DH, the five other imported cases were two airline crew from the United States and Russia, and returnees from Spain, India and Pakistan.

The Pakistani returnee was the pregnant woman aged 25 who tested preliminary positive during her ante-natal check-up at Tuen Mun Hospital yesterday, one day after finishing her 14-day quarantine.

Chuang said five other local cases were linked while seven others had unknown sources.

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Fewer than 10 people tested preliminarily positive. 

Chuang said all inmates at detention facilities will be tested after two detainees tested positive today.

The first was a 54-year-old detainee at Lai Chi Kok Detention Centre who was previously confined at Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre and tested preliminary positive yesterday.

More than 7,000 inmates will be tested after the second detainee tested positive at Castle Peak

The second was a detainee who had just completed his sentence in Pik Uk Prison and was taken to the Castle Peak Immigration Detention Centre where he was tested and found infected on Sept 5.

The inmate served his sentence in Pik Uk Prison from Aug 22 to Sept 5 after being held at Lai Chi Kok reception center. Chuang said all his close contacts at Pik Uk, the CIDC and Lai Chi Kok will have to be quarantined and sample bottles distributed for testing.

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“In view of two cases…we are arranging with the Security Bureau to conduct a one-off testing for all persons in custody which will involve more than 7,000 people,” Chuang said.

The new cases brought to 4,879 the total number of people infected with Covid-19 since the outbreak in Hong Kong began in late January .

A 69-year-old female Covid-19 patient who was being treated in isolation at Kwong Wah Hospital in Yaumatei passed away Saturday night and an 82-year-old male patient died tonight at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, bringing the death toll to 95.

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Hospital Authority chief manager Dr Linda Yu said 18 patients have recovered and were discharged over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recoveries to 4,510.

As of 9 am today, 223 confirmed patients are still being treated in 19 public hospitals and the community treatment facility  in AsiaWorld-Expo, among which 21 are in critical condition, 14 are in serious condition and the remaining 188 patients are in stable condition.

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Asymptomatic Filipina DH tests positive at universal testing

By Daisy CL Mandap

The infected Filipina remained in Yuen Long even during her off days

A Filipina who spent weekends gathering with her fellow domestic helpers in Yuen Long was among seven confirmed Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong today, Sept 5, the lowest number in more than two months.

The 39-year-old Filipina was one of two infected patients detected yesterday after they volunteered to join the  universal community testing now underway across the city. A total of 10 infections have been uncovered  from the scheme so far.

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According to Dr Chuang Shuk-wan of the Centre for Health Protection, the Filipina lives with her employer in Tai Tseng Wai village in Yuen Long. On weekends, like on Aug 29-30, she would go to a village house where she gathered with her fellow FDHs.

“We learned that she would stay with her fellow countrymen at a certain place. They would be chatting, they would be having a lot of fun and they will stay there for a long time together. Sometimes they do not wear face mask all the time,” Chuang said.

After the Filipina tested positive, her employer as well as two of her friends she socialized with, plus another who lives in the house where they hung out, would be put in a quarantine centre for 14 days.

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The Filipina, who was asymptomatic, had herself tested on Sept 2 at Chiu Lut Sau Secondary School in Yuen Long.

The other patient from the mass testing is a 60-year-old man who works as an aircon repairman in Nga Tsin Long Road in Kowloon City, and often went to a teahouse near his workplace. He lives with his wife on Argyle Street.

CHP records show he developed symptoms on Aug 31, but still joined the mass testing the next day at the Kowloon City Sports Centre.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam visiting one of the testing centres in Kowloon

All the new infections were locally acquired, with four linked and three of unknown origin.

The third unknown case is a 62-year-old garage repairman in Tokwawan who usually went to restaurants near his workplace. He lives in Fung Tak estate in Diamond Hill.

Two of the linked cases were reported as preliminary positive yesterday. One is a 63-year-old man who stayed at Metropark Hotel in Mong Kok, and is the fifth confirmed case from that cluster.

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The other is the 64-year-old security guard in Tai Wai, whose wife was among those reported as a positive case yesterday, after she took part in the mass testing on Sept 1.

The two other patients, both females, aged 55 and 72, are linked to family clusters.

Two of at least 10 preliminary positive cases have caused concern because they interacted with a number of people before their infection was detected.

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One is a 25-year-old pregnant Pakistani woman who was found infected after she was tested during an ante-natal check-up in Tuen Mun Hospital.

The woman, who is 36 weeks pregnant, attended her scheduled check-up yesterday, a day after ending her 14-day quarantine after arriving from Pakistan. She reportedly flew in via Doha along with her husband and son.

A cleaner who did not wear protective gear when she cleaned the toilet in the hospital after the patient had used it, will be put in quarantine.

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Another who tested preliminary positive is a 54-year-old inmate at the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre who attended a hearing at West Kowloon Court yesterday. After developing a fever last night, he was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he was tested.

The man was initially to the Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre on Aug 21, but was moved to the detention facility on Thursday. He reportedly wore a mask while getting in and out of the different facilities and the court.

But as a precautionary measure, several hundred specimen bottles will be handed out to inmates and staff at the two detention centres. At least one man who shared a cell with the patient has been put under medical surveillance.

Chuang said it is up to the Security Bureau to decide whether to conduct mass testing among inmates and staff at the different detention facilities.

Of the 4,858 confirmed cases in Hong Kong to date, only 236 patients are still being treated in 20 public hospitals and the treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo. Among them, 23 are in critical condition, 14 are in serious condition, and 199 are stable.

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HK joins global alliance in race to develop & get Covid-19 vaccine

By The SUN

HK promises to get the vaccine as soon as it becomes available for all its residents

Hong Kong has announced that it has formalized its intention to take part in the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (Covax Facility), which is aimed at coordinating strategies to develop a vaccine, and ensure its equitable distribution around the world.

The Covax Facility, which is co-led by the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) , the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi) and the World Health Organization (WHO), aim to have the vaccines delivered to participating countries or economies by the end of next year.

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In a statement, the Food and Health Bureau said that although the WHO has said that no vaccine has yet been approved for use with humans, Hong Kong has decided to take action this early because it expects a keen global competition when a vaccine does emerge.

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“Hong Kong needs to take early action to reserve potential vaccines for our population in a timely manner. Taking part in the COVAX Facility can serve as a safety net for Hong Kong to a certain extent," said the statement.

But it said Hong Kong is doing more than take part in the global alliance, which assures that only a proportion of the city’s population will get the vaccine, and its target delivery date of end of next year might be a bit late.

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In previous statements, Hong Kong officials said only 20% of the total population of each participating country or economy is assured of getting the vaccine through Covax, so they have started pursuing talks with private groups to ensure the city’s residents all get it on time.

 The Department of Health is now said to be already pursuing additional supplies through advance purchase agreements with individual vaccine developers, while trying to learn more about the production of vaccines in other places, including the Mainland.

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 "The Government will continue to adopt the two-pronged strategy to procure vaccines meeting the criteria of safety, efficacy and quality for our population to protect public health," the statement said.

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