First Covid-19 vaccines arrive in HK, residents urged to get jabs early

By Daisy C L Mandap 

Key government officials were on hand to receive the first Covid-19 vaccines from Sinovac

The first coronavirus vaccines arrived in Hong Kong today, Feb 19, marking what Health Secretary Dr Sophia Chan called as “a very important milestone” in the city’s fight against the epidemic.

The first 1 million doses of the vaccine from Sinovac was flown in via Cathay Pacific flight CX391 from Beijing and landed at about 5:30pm, shortly after health officials reported 13 new Covid-19 cases.

On hand to meet the shipment, apart from Dr Chan, was Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip.

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“Today is a very happy occasion where the Sinovac vaccines, a million doses, have arrived in Hong Kong,” Chan said, shortly before leading the inspection of the consignment.\

“It’s indeed a very importantmilestone for all the Covid-19 prevention and control work that we have been doing. All the vaccines that we have authorised for emergency use is through the hard work of our expert panel and proven to be effective, of quality and also safe.”

She and Nip appealed to the public to take part in the city’s free vaccination program.

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“The program will give us hope to control and end the epidemic as early as possible,” said Nip, who also announced that the mass inoculation will begin early next week.

“Let’s get vaccinated early to protect ourselves and others.”

The second shipment of vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech is scheduled to arrive later this month.

The precious cargo was flown in from Beijing

Various reports said Chief Secretary Carrie Lam and her senior officials will be the first to receive the Sinovac jabs on Monday. Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils will get the vaccine on the same day.

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On Tuesday, the online registration for receiving the vaccine will start, amid what looks like a lukewarm response to the program from the public.

A new survey shows only 39% of the city’s 7.5 million people are interested in getting the jab, amid worries about its adverse effects, especially on the elderly.

But Nip said in an earlier interview that the government had given priority to elderly people because they are a vulnerable group.

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He also said the government would abide by suggestions made by a panel of experts before implementing its inoculation plan.

Apart from those aged 60 and older, those given priority for the vaccine are health workers, residents and staff of care homes, those providing essential public services such as the disciplined forces, postal and hygiene workers; and cross-border transport workers, like truck drivers, air and sea crew, and fishermen.

The inoculation is free for all of the city’s 7.5 million people, who will also be insured by the government for any adverse effect of the vaccine on their health.

Au says more hidden infections acquired over the long holiday could emerge

Meanwhile, the Center for Health Protection announced at today’s press briefing that 12 of the new cases were locally acquired, with eight of them from unknown sources.

The sole imported case was an Indonesian domestic helper who arrived on Feb 5, and tested positive on her 12th day in hotel quarantine.

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Among the local cases were three restaurant workers, two of whom got themselves tested on their employer’s advice.

One was a cook at a noodle shop in Tai Hang, another a server at a McDonald’s outlet in Central, while the third is a waitress at a Chinese restaurant in Tin Hau.

CHP’s Dr Albert Au said the eateries have been asked to close down for 14 days for disinfection, while the patients’ close contacts will be moved to quarantine centers.

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Another case was a firefighter at Kwai Chung Fire Station, becoming the seventh patient to emerge from the cluster.

The fireman also worked at Lai King Fire Station, forcing about 140 people there into quarantine.

Among the positive cases with unknown source was a female detainee in Ma Tau Kok. The 41-year-old woman who claimed to have entered Hong Kong from Vietnam, was arrested on Feb 5 and initially tested negative for Covid-19.

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After she tested positive, all the detainees who shared the same cell with her were moved to the quarantine center. Immigration was also advised to get all the other detainees and staff who interacted with her to get tested.

Au also reported about a dozen preliminary positive cases, five of them untraceable. They comprise a retiree, a private doctor who visited an elderly care home, an office employee who was detected at a community testing center, a taxi driver, and an assistant editor at RTHK.

Au said the high proportion of cases with unknown source could indicate that some of the hidden infections acquired during the Lunar New Year holidays have yet to emerge.

“There is evidence that there are still quite a number of silent transmissions in the community, coupled with a large amount of gatherings among the local population during the Chinese New Year, it is possible that some of the undetected cases may cause ongoing transmission in the community,” Au said.

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DH gets suspended 6-week jail term for hawking in Central alley

By Vir B. Lumicao 

An officer saw the accused selling mobile phone accessories in the alley

A 48-year-old Filipina domestic helper was handed a six-week jail sentence, suspended for a year, after she admitted in Shatin Court today, Feb 18, that she had been selling cellphone accessories in breach of her visa condition.

The defendant, E.G. Ayungao, pleaded guilty to a charge of breach of condition of stay before Magistrate Jason Wan when she was committed to the court.

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The prosecution said Ayungao was arrested last Aug 30 on Li Yuen Street West in Central while she was selling mobile phone accessories such as USBs, chargers, power banks, earphones and phone cases.

According to the prosecution, an Immigration officer was patrolling the alley that Sunday when she saw the defendant offering her goods to passersby.

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The officer checked her Hong Kong ID and found out that she was permitted to work as a domestic helper of Jennifer Fong at Robinson Heights, Mid-Levels starting on July 28, 2019.

The charge sheet said Ayungao “did contravene a condition of stay… imposed on her by an immigration assistant” while she was allowed to work as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, by establishing a business of selling the phone accessories.

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In mitigation, the defense lawyer asked the magistrate to impose a suspended sentence, as Ayungao is the sole breadwinner of her family in the Philippines.

The lawyer said his client is married to a 55-year-old farmer who has no other income, and that her two adult children, a daughter aged 21 and a son aged 26, are unemployed.

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Wan said after considering Ayungao’s clear record, the defense lawyer’s mitigation and her guilty plea, he was imposing a discounted prison sentence of six weeks, which will be suspended for 12 months.

But the magistrate warned the helper not to commit any offense again, as doing so would revive the sentence and would be added to the sentence on her new offense.

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Filipina tagged as leader of bogus DH contract ring charged in court

By Vir B. Lumicao 

Shatin magistrate denied bail to defendant who is accused of leading the 'syndicate'

A Filipina described as the ringleader of a syndicate using bogus domestic helper contracts to obtain an employment visa in Hong Kong was charged today, Feb 18, of making a false statement to Immigration officers.

Arleen Villanueva, 34, was denied bail when she appeared before Magistrate Jason Wan in Shatin Court.

Court documents show she was detained on Feb 16, but did not give details of her arrest.

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The prosecution said the Filipina made a false statement that she worked for a certain Tam Cheuk-yin from May 2020 to December 2020 in applying for a domestic helper visa last Dec 22.

But Tam reportedly denied the defendant worked for her, and even agreed to be a witness for the prosecution.

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The prosecutor opposed granting bail to Villanueva, saying her case was serious, as she appeared to be the mastermind of a syndicate behind the fake contracts. If she were allowed to post bail, she might contact other persons related to the case.

The magistrate pointed out there was nothing on the charge sheet that mentioned a syndicate was behind the fake contract, but the government lawyer replied it was mentioned during the investigation.

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Wan asked the defense lawyer if the new employer named in the Dec 22 contract did employ Villanueva, but the latter said he had no instruction from the defendant regarding that matter.

The counsel applied for bail for Villanueva, saying she could raise her offer to $2,000.

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He said the defendant came to Hong Kong in 2014 as a helper and had completed three employment contracts.

Wan refused the Filipina’s bail application and set the next hearing date to Mar 25.

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Rules relaxed but public gatherings still limited to 2 persons

By Daisy CL Mandap

All restaurants must display a QR code which customers could scan before being seated

Several businesses reopened today, Feb 18, more than two months after being shut at the height of the fourth wave of coronavirus infections in the city.

This comes as the number of new Covid-19 cases dropped anew to eight, all of them locally acquired.

Reopened were cinemas, gyms, massage and beauty parlors, amusement games centers, theme parks, and indoor and outdoor sports venues. Still shut are karaoke bars, swimming pools and bath houses, night clubs or pubs, and party rooms.

However, rules that allow only up to two people to gather in public have been extended until Mar 3.

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A statement issued late Wednesday said “if there is no major change to the epidemic situation, the government will seek the approval from the Executive Council shortly to relax the relevant group gathering restriction from two persons to four persons.”

The wearing of masks in public places, both indoors and outdoors, and on all public transportation, will likewise remain in place.

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Along with the reopening of venues, restaurants were allowed to seat up to four people to a table, and to extend dining hours from 6pm to 10pm. But they will be able to fill only 50 percent of their eatery’s dining capacity.

On top of these requirements, staff at the reopened venues must take a Covid-19 test every 14 days, with the first test to be conducted between Feb 11 and Feb 24.

All the venues are also required “to ensure as far as practicable” that their customers scan their "LeaveHomeSafe" QR code, or register their names, contact numbers and the dates and times of their visits before being allowed entry, with the records to be kept for 31 days.

Restaurants may seat 4 to a table starting today

Health officials did not conduct the daily press briefing on the coronavirus situation, as the number of new cases fell back to a single digit. The eight new cases took the total number of cases to 10,820 confirmed and one probable cases.

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Three of the cases were of unknown sources while five were linked to previous infections.

The first untraceable case involves a 49-year-old housewife who developed sore throat and cough on Feb 11 but consulted at a public clinic only five days later.

The second case involves another housewife who is 43 years old. She developed a fever on Feb 14 and sought treatment two days later at Kwong Wah Hospital.

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 The third is a 54-year-old female staff of the Yuen Yuen Nursing Home Cum Day Care Centre for the Elderly in Shun Lee estate. She developed fever, sore throat and headache on Feb 12 but went to work until Feb 15. She went to a community testing center on Feb 16.

Two more patients were reported to have passed away in the past 24 hours. They brought to 191 the number of patients with Covid-19 to have died in public hospitals.

The first was a 57-year-old male patient with chronic illness who had been in intensive care at Princess Margaret Hospital since Jan 7. He succumbed at 12:05pm yesterday.

The second was a 68-year-old man with chronic disease who was released from isolation at Prince of Wales Hospital on Feb 5 after he was found to have antibodies. But his condition eventually deteriorated and he succumbed at 6:42pm yesterday.

The Centre for Health Protection says its investigations and contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. It advised the public to seek medical attention as soon as symptoms develop.

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120 residents in TST blocks fined $5k each for ignoring compulsory testing

By The SUN 

Residents of Mirador Mansion were put under compulsory testing on Jan 12

More than 120 people who ignored mandatory testing orders for residents of two housing blocks in Tsim Sha Tsui were each issued $5,000 fixed penalty tickets earlier today, Feb 17, during a surprise check by law enforcers.

Police and officers from the Yau Tsim Mong District Office and various government departments conducted the enforcement operation in Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion and Mirador Mansion, both located on Nathan Road, between 7:20am and 11:00 am today.

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A group of Filipino musicians who distributed relief goods to colleagues in need on Feb 12 were caught in the testing order, which also covered guests who had been in the buildings for at least two hours over a two-week period.

But according to Jennifer Palor-Fernandes who was part of a group that led the relief operation, everyone who was in the Hong Kong Musicians Union office in Mirador Mansion during the indicated period, had taken the tests. All received negative test results.

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Mirador Mansion was put under mandatory testing on Feb 12, when a mainland woman holding a recognizance form tested positive for Covid-19.

The next day, Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion was subjected to the same order after one of its residents, who is acquainted with the Mirador patient, was also found infected.

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Two more mainlanders residing in subdivided flats in Mirador tested positive for the coronavirus, along with another one from Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion, who was among 16 new cases reported today.

Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion yielded a new Covid-19 case today

Health officials said that as a result of the cases, some residents of subdivided flats in Mirador were moved to quarantine centers.

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During today’s enforcement action, residents of both buildings were asked to provide the SMS notification for the result of their Covid-19 test, to show that they had complied with the compulsory testing order.

Government staff were deployed at the entrances and exits of both buildings to ensure everyone who went in and out was checked.

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Around 290 residents of Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion were checked for their test records, and around 60 persons were found to have violated the order. At Mirador Mansion, 420 residents were checked and more than 60 were found to be in breach.

All violators were issued fixed penalties of $5,000 each and/or compulsory testing orders, requiring them to undergo testing within a specified period. If they continue to violate the order, they could be charged and fined a maximum of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.

According to a government statement, the compulsory testing notice aims to stop the spread of the coronavirus as soon as possible to protect public health.

Everyone subject to such an order is enjoined to wear a mask, practice good personal hygiene and stay at home as far as possible until they receive their test results.

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Dozens quarantined after 2 men who joined CNY parties found infected

By Daisy CL Mandap 

Hong Kong families traditionally gather to chat and dine together during Lunar New Year

About 70 people have been moved to quarantine centers after they were found to have joined family gatherings over Lunar New Year with two men who were among 16 new Covid-19 cases reported today, Feb. 17.

According to Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection, between 40 and 50 people who joined a 34-year-old male patient during several gatherings over the four-day holiday were identified as close contacts and put under quarantine.

The patient who lives in Stars By The Bay in Hung Hom, had been unemployed since last year, according to Chuang. Before he was found infected, he went to various places to meet up with relatives, and they had mostly not worn masks.

Another patient, a 36-year-old man who lives in Wong Tai Sin and works as a clerk, also sent about 20 of his close contacts to quarantine. He did not work during the incubation period, so those he met with during the holidays were mostly family members.

Chuang said of the new cases, 12 were locally acquired, and 10 of these were from unknown sources, including the two male patients who attended family gatherings.

The untraceable cases also include two restaurant cooks and a construction worker.

Chuang says it's too early to say whether there's been a rebound in cases

Despite the slight increase in cases after two days of single-digit tallies, Chuang said it was too early to say whether more infections would emerge after the holidays.

“We will closely monitor the situation in the coming days to see whether there is a rebound in cases,” she said.

Among the four imported cases were three who arrived on Feb 15 and tested positive at the airport.

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They included a 44-year-old female domestic worker who arrived from the Philippines, a 38-year-old female returnee from Austria, and a 35-year-old woman from Pakistan.

The fourth is a 29-year-old man who tested negative on arrival from Pakistan on Feb 13, but subsequently fell ill while in quarantine at the iclub Hotel in Tokwawan. A test found him not only infected with Covid-19, but of the more infectious British variant.

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Chuang said he was the 38^th patient found to have the mutated strains of the coronavirus. Of these, 27 were found with the variant first found in Britain, one from South Africa, one from Brazil, while nine were unclassified.

Chuang also mentioned an emerging cluster of cases at the Kwai Chung Fire station, where three firemen and one of their relatives testing positive for the virus. Several family members have tested preliminary positive.

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The CHP official the transmission likely happened at the fire station, so anyone who had been there during the past fortnight should get tested.

Chui says temporary testing centers will be set up to cope with demand

At the daily briefing, Undersecretary for Food and Health Chui Tak-yi said 21 temporary testing centers for Covid-19 will be set up in addition to 19 community testing centers that have recently been besieged by workers anxious to comply with government regulations.

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Eleven of the temporary centers will be dedicated solely to testing those who are about to resume work in businesses that will reopen tomorrow, as part of the government’s relaxation of gathering restrictions.

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Tsui reminded those in charge of restaurants to ensure their workers get tested every fortnight, and to ensure their customers who dine in have downloaded the contact tracing app, LeaveHomeSafe. Otherwise they will have to get the name, contact number and the dates of visit of each customer to avoid penalties.

He said staff have until Feb 24 to have the initial test.

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