Ban on Manila arrivals raised as 6 more Filipina DHs found infected

By Daisy CL Mandap 

40 travelers from the PHL were found infected in HK in the past 14 days

Local media representatives have asked Hong Kong health officials if they are thinking of imposing a travel ban on the Philippines, as six more new arrivals from Manila were included in today’s daily Covid-19 tally.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection reported 19 new coronavirus cases today, seven of which were locally acquired, and the remaining 12 all imported.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

 

Of the 12 imported infections, Chuang said six involved foreign domestic helpers from the Philippines, who were all also found to carry the highly infectious coronavirus variant.

Two, aged 29 and 31, arrived on Mar 31 aboard Cathay Pacific flight CX906, and tested positive at the airport. 

PRESS FOR DETAILS

 

The four others, aged 29, 31 44 and 61, were found infected on their 12^th day in hotel quarantine. Two flew in aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR300 and the two others on Cebu Pacific flight 5J272.

Asked about a possible travel ban on the Philippines, similar to the one still currently enforced on the United Kingdom, Chuang admitted the most number of patients found to have the mutated virus, generally categorized as N501Y, had all flown in from Manila.

Pindutin para sa detalye

 

But, she said, “There are other factors to consider.”

Chuang says enough measures are in place to stop the variant from spreading

Chuang also said Hong Kong has stringent control measures, like the 21-day hotel quarantine, as well as a negative test result required from all travelers coming from high-risk countries like the Philippines. She also said the highly-feared mutated virus has not been seen in any local case.

Call now!

The ban query was raised after the UK announced that it would stop all non-residents flying in from the Philippines starting on Apr 9. Ireland also included the Philippines among the countries where travelers would need to spend their 14-day quarantine in a hotel starting Apr 6.

Data supplied by the CHP in its daily briefings show that in the past two weeks alone, or from Mar 20 to Apr 2, a total of 40 Filipinos had tested positive on, or shortly after arriving in Hong Kong. All except three were found to have the coronavirus variant.

Pindutin para sa detalye

The biggest number recorded in a single day was 9, which happened on Mar 22. Today’s 6 comes next, followed by the 5 reported on Mar 29.

On Mar 15, another 9 cases were also reported, 5 of them flying in on the same day via CX, which prompted Hong Kong authorities to ban Cathay’s flight from Manila for two weeks.

CALL US!

 

Meanwhile, one other imported case, a 39-year-old male traveler from Pakistan who tested positive on his 12^th day in quarantine, was found to carry the virus variant.

The other imported cases included a 5-month-old baby girl who was confirmed to have the coronavirus  on her 19^th day in quarantine. Chuang said previous samples taken from her were not sufficient for testing.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong 

The four remaining imported cases include two FDHs from Indonesia, and one returning resident each from Botswana and Canada.

Of the seven local infections, the sole untraceable case has prompted health authorities to order compulsory testing on Metro City mall in Tseung Kwan O.

This was after investigations showed that the 33-year-old unemployed patient who lives in a TKO village house had bought takeaway food from several restaurants in the mall. A renovation worker who worked and ate in the mall was earlier confirmed to have the virus.

About a dozen people the later patient had played football with will be sent to quarantine.

Chuang said there are several preliminary positive cases, but so far, not a single one was untraceable.

Hong Kong’s total Covid-19 tally as of today is 11,500. As of 9am today, 123 confirmed patients are still being treated in public hospitals. Among them, 3 are in critical condition, 3 are serious, and the remaining 117 are stable.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

CALL ME!

PADALA NA!

New daily high of 15,310 Covid-19 cases posted in Philippines

By The SUN 

Empty pews in a Phl church attest to the new surge in infections (AP photo)

Good Friday was an extra sad day for the predominantly Catholic Philippines, as the country posted a record 15,310 new Covid-19 cases today, Apr 2, bringing the total number of infections to 771,497.

The unprecedented figure was posted on the fifth day of an extreme lockdown imposed on Metro Manila and the four adjacent provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

 

Officials from the Department of Health said 3,709 of today’s cases are backlogs from Mar 31 due to uploading issues, which explained the unusually low tally of 6,128 for that day.

But today’s remaining 11,601 still make up the biggest daily tally since the pandemic broke out in the country early last year.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

 

The new surge pushed the total number of active cases to 153,809, representing 19.9% of all infections.

But there were 434 new recoveries, raising the total to 604,368.

Another 17 people succumbed to Covid-19 today, pushing the death toll to 13,320.

Pindutin para sa detalye

 

The record rises in infections, coupled with the increasing number of patients found with the highly infections coronavirus variant, has caused at least two countries to restrict the entry of people flying in from the Philippines.

In Hong Kong where the recent daily tally of imported cases always included at least one new arrival from the Philippines who invariably also had the mutated virus, there is a growing clamor to halt travel from the country.

Call now!

But health officials said Friday that the strict 21-day quarantine for all new arrivals from abroad (except from Singapore, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Macau and the rest of China) will suffice for now.

UK will ban all non-residents flying in from the Philippines starting Apr 9

In Britain, the government just added the Philippines to its travel “red list”, along with Pakistan, Kenya and Bangladesh. The inclusion means that travelers from these countries, except British or Irish nationals and residents, will now be denied entry.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Visitors who have departed of transited through the countries in the last 10 days will be banned entry starting at 4am, U.K. time, on Apr 9.

Exempted passengers who are allowed to enter the U.K. will be required to submit to coronavirus testing on or before the second day of their quarantine, and again on or after the eighth day.

CALL US!

 

“[T]hey will not be allowed to shorten their quarantine period on receipt of a negative test result. They will also not be able to end their managed quarantine early through the Test to Release scheme,” an advisory from the British government said.

In Ireland, the Philippines was included among 26 countries that will be subjected to mandatory hotel quarantine on arrival starting 4 am on Apr 6, the only Asian state to be included in the list.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong 

Travelers from these countries will have to show a hotel booking for their 14-day quarantine, on top of a negative result for a Covid-19 test conducted 72 hours before their flight.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

CALL ME!

Fate back in fighting form with 11-0 crushing of Feliz

By Emz Frial 

A Fate batter waits for the ball during practice for the team's match against Feliz on Mar 28.

Filipino softball team Fate, returning to the pitch after a long break due to the pandemic, resumed their campaign in the Hong Kong Women’s Softball League with a murderous 11-0 win in six innings over Chinese team Feliz on Mar 21.

The victory on the Shek Kip Mei diamond is significant for Fate, the only Philippine softball team in the city, as the Hong Kong Softball Association’s reopening of pitches to continue games postponed last year due to the coronavirus contagion.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

To the Filipinas, the triumph is a much-needed shot in the arm after they lost by just a point in their last game against local squadron Artemis on the same field in November.

Fate captain and pitcher Don Gaborno encouraged her all-domestic helper team to focus on the match and prove it wasn’t yet over for them after that loss to Artemis.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

When the game got under way, Fate took an early lead as spirited play by the Filipinas long sidelined by the pitch closure showed their local rivals were the underdog.

In the first inning, the Filipinas scores three home runs courtesy of Percy Jayme, Sierra May Tebia and Chelo Garbo.

Pindutin para sa detalye

They added three home runs in the third inning through Tebia, Garbo and Don Gaborno for a 6-0 score at the end of third inning. 

Gaborno’s vaunted fast ball pitch combined with the tight defense of infielders and outfielders to make sure Fate won’t give their opponents a chance to get to home base. 

Call now!

Josel Ondrade added another run in the fourth inning to make the score 7-0 for Fate.

Editha Hidalgo and Bambee Abadilla also produced a run each in the fifth inning, lifting the score to 9-0.

Pindutin para sa detalye

In the last and final inning, Tebia and Garbo made two more home runs that ended the game with a total score of 11. 

Fate celebrates its win with team manager Law Wai Ho

Fate is now on its 8th year since joining the Hong Kong Softball Association. 

CALL US!

With the help and support of their team manager Law Wai Ho, a respected veteran in Hong Kong softball, Fate continues to reap pride for him and for Filipinos in the sport. 

Fate players have made softball their priority on Sundays, their rest day, by going to the pitch early to practice and get ready for the match.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong 

Fate will face the local team Sirius in the next match scheduled for 10:30am this Sunday, April 4, in Shek Kip Mei.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

CALL ME!

Labour reminds employers not to force FDHs to work on rest days

By The SUN 

FDHs are reminded anew that they must wear a mask
and observe social distancing in public (File)

The Labour Department has issued its usual reminder ahead of long holidays for foreign domestic helpers to observe social distancing measures when out on their rest days.

At the same time, it warned employers that it is illegal for them to force their FDWs to work on their days off.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

A statement issued Thursday, Apr 1, on the government website said: “Employers are reminded that they must not compel their FDHs to work on a rest day. An employer who compels his or her FDH to work on a rest day without the agreement of the FDH, or fails to grant rest days to the FDH, is in breach of the Employment Ordinance and is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to a maximum fine of $50,000.”

The advisory likewise carried a warning to FDHs that they could be charged a fixed penalty of $5,000 if they do not wear a mask, or violate the prohibition against the gathering of more than four persons in public.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

"We remind FDHs to strictly observe the requirements and appeal to them to avoid gatherings (including in boarding facilities), food sharing and other social activities on their rest days and stay at home for rest as far as possible to safeguard their personal health,” said the statement.

Pindutin para sa detalye

It added that employers and FDHs could discuss rest day arrangements so as to minimize the health risk of having a lot of people gathering in public during the holidays.

Sunday, Apr 4 is a statutory holiday. Labour laws say that if the statutory holiday falls on a rest day, a holiday should be granted on the day following the rest day, which in this case, is Monday, Apr 5.

Call now!

For all other workers, the long public holidays will start from tomorrow, Good Friday, and last until Tuesday, Apr.6, which is the day after Ching Ming Festival and Eastern Monday.

Police will again patrol FDH haunts on Apr 4 & 5

During the Easter holidays, or from Apr 2 to 6, the Labour Department said it will conduct mobile broadcasts at popular FDH gathering places to remind them to comply with social gathering rules.

Pindutin para sa detalye

On Apr 4 and 5, Labour in collaboration with Hong Kong Police, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Home Affairs Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will conduct joint operations in Central, Tamar Park in Admiralty, Victoria Park in Causeway Bay and Lai Chi Kok Park to ensure the gathering restrictions are observed.

“Relevant departments will take enforcement action against those who still refuse to abide by the regulations after repeated reminders,” the statement said.

CALL US!

 

Also on these two days, free coronavirus tests will be given to FDHs who may avail of the offer by registering on site at the four designated locations.

FDHs are also reminded that they can get vaccinated for Covid-19 free of charge. To book an appointment, visit the designated website of the Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk). 

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong 

“The Government appeals to FDHs to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and others,” said the statement.

Any enquiries on FDH employment may be made through the dedicated FDH hotline at 2157 9537 (manned by 1823), by email to fdh-enquiry@labour.gov.hk or through the online form on the dedicated portal (www.fdh.labour.gov.hk).

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

CALL ME!

HK records 11 imported & 2 local coronavirus cases

By The SUN   

CHP says 6 of the 11 new imported Covid-19 cases carried the mutated virus

Eleven of the 13 new Covid-19 cases reported today are imported, and six of them have the highly contagious coronavirus variant, according to staff at the Centre for Health Protection.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

Those found with the N501Y variant, said to be 70 times more infectious than the regular strain, include three Filipina domestic workers, two returning residents from Pakistan, and another from Nepal.

PRESS FOR DETAILS

The five others who did not carry the mutated virus were all FDWs from Indonesia.

Two local cases, both with no known source, were also confirmed today. One is a 23-year-old renovation worker who lives in Yau Tong, and the other is a 56-year-old waitress who lives in North Point. Both tested preliminary positive yesterday.

Pindutin para sa detalye

The three Filipinas, aged 28, 32 and 47, all flew in on Mar 30 aboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J 272, and tested positive at the airport.

Four others flew in on the same day: two FDWs from Indonesia, aged 31 and 32 years old; two returning female residents aged 56 and 67 from Pakistan, and a 24-year-old male from Nepal.

Pindutin para sa detalye

The three other Indonesians, aged 25, 32 and 42, tested positive while in hotel quarantine.

CHP experts inspect Kwan Yick building where 4 confirmed cases were found

Earlier, the CHP ordered all asymptomatic residents of units 10 in Block B, phase III of Kwan Yick Building in Sai Ying Pun transferred to quarantine centers after a 25-year-old man who lives in the block tested positive for Covid-19.

Call now!

Anyone found to have symptoms would be sent directly to hospital for tests and treatment.

Three others who live in a unit directly below the patient’s flat were earlier found infected. During a compulsory testing order issued on the building on Mar 17, the latest patient tested negative.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

Experts who inspected the building yesterday afternoon said that vertical air transmission of the virus could have taken place.

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

CALL ME!