HK’s flight bans may last beyond 14 days

By Daisy CL Mandap 

HK now says there will be no automatic lifting of the flight ban after 14 days

Hong Kong has removed the 14-day limit to the flight suspension it imposed on the Philippines, Pakistan and India on Apr 20, amid fears the highly infectious coronavirus variant has begun to spread in the community.

Nepal has also just been added to the list of places where flights to Hong Kong have now been suspended indefinitely, after a record 13 new arrivals from the country were found to have Covid-19 on Thursday.

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A government statement issued late Thursday said that “due to the need to review the epidemic situation of the place concerned, the flight suspension mechanism will not be lifted automatically.”

The statement said the government will conduct “risk assessments” of each place every two weeks, and will take into consideration such factors as the prevailing epidemic situation, the vaccination rate and the prevalence of new virus variants, before deciding whether it is appropriate to lift the flight suspension.

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The new development is likely to cause further anguish to thousands of Filipinos who have been hoping for the flight suspension to be lifted, particularly domestic workers who had waited for weeks, even months, to take up jobs in Hong Kong.

According to Labour Secretary Law Chi-kwong’s recent estimate, between 500 and 800 Filipino DHs would have been affected by a two-week ban.

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But with the Philippines’ infection rate now at an all-time high, it is not likely that the hoped-for lifting of the ban on May 4 would happen. 

The Philippines' surging infection does not bode well for the lifting of HK's ban

Hong Kong earlier announced that it would stop flights from the Philippines, India and Pakistan for 14 days starting Mar 20, in line with its “circuit breaker mechanism” under tightened travel restrictions.

The flight ban on Nepal will start on May 1.

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All four countries have also been moved to the “extremely high risk” category, which means anyone who had stayed in these places for more than two hours in the past 21 days, including those in transit, are prohibited from boarding a flight to Hong Kong.

Previously, the same restrictions were imposed on flights from the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil and Ireland, where various strains of the mutated virus were first found.

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Under the tightened regulations, the ban is triggered when a total of five or more passengers arriving on any flights from the same place, test positive for the N501Y mutant strain on arrival in Hong Kong within a seven-day period.

The rule has been adjusted to include “other relevant virus mutation which may potentially pose similar risks to Hong Kong's public health will also be considered.”

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In addition, “if a total 10 or more passengers were confirmed positive by any tests (including tests conducted during quarantine) with the N501Y mutant strain or relevant virus mutation within a seven-day period, the flight suspension mechanism would also be triggered,” said the statement.

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Filipina DH found with HK’s first untraceable, locally acquired coronavirus variant

By Daisy CL Mandap 

Tower 11 of Caribbean Coast where the infected FDH lives, is under lockdown (RTHK)

A Filipina domestic helper who has never left Hong Kong since 2019 is reported to have caught the highly infectious coronavirus variant, N501Y, from an unknown source, the first case of its kind in the city.

The infection of the 39-year-old helper triggered the evacuation and transfer to quarantine centers of about 400 residents of Tower 11 at Caribbean Coast in Tung Chung where she lives.  

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The residential block was earlier put under an overnight lockdown while all residents were tested for coronavirus infection.

A 10-month-old baby girl under the helper’s care has also been found to have Covid-19 but further tests are still being conducted to find out if she, too, has the variant. The baby’s parents, said to be a primary school teacher and a psychologist, have tested negative for coronavirus.

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The controller of the Centre for Health Protection, Dr. Ronald Lam, said no link was found between the helper’s infection and previous variant cases detected in Hong Kong.

“This is the first local infection of a coronavirus variant via an unknown source in the Hong Kong community,” Lam said. “We think the situation is critical. We are very concerned and must take it seriously.”

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Investigations showed that during the incubation period the helper had taken part in a choir at St Thomas the Apostle Church in Tsing Yi, went to market at Fu Tung Plaza, and stayed at Man Tung Park, both in Lantau. She also visited Fusion Shop at Caribbean Bazaar and the Citygate outlet mall in Tung Chung.

The helper sang in the choir of St Thomas the Apostle Church in Tsing Yi

Anyone who had been to these places from Apr 9 to 29 must undergo compulsory testing by May 1 under an order issued by health authorities shortly after the helper’s infection was confirmed.

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The latest local case found with the mutated virus is the second involving a Filipina domestic worker. The first, a 38-year-old helper, was found infected five days after ending her 21-day quarantine at the Ramada Harbour View Hotel in Sai Ying Pun.

Before them, an Indian man who arrived in late March from Dubai, was also found to have the variant, 10 days after finishing his quarantine at the Ramada Grand Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui

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In a separate press statement issued late on Thursday, the CHP urged employer to remind their domestic helpers to avoid gatherings and dining out together.

“If they have to attend gatherings, they should wear a mask at all times, wash their hands frequently and maintain social distancing so as to safeguard their personal health,” said the statement. “Employers are also urged to pay attention to the health condition of their domestic helpers and they should seek medical attention immediately if symptoms develop.”

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Separately, the CHP issued a compulsory testing notice on quarantine-exempt people who had taken Cathay Pacific flight CX 906 which arrived in Hong Kong from Manila on Apr 14, after three of its passengers, all Filipina helpers, were found to carry the variant. Two were detected on arrival at the airport, while the third tested positive on her 12^th day of hotel quarantine.

“For prudence’s sake, persons exempted by the Chief Secretary for Administration from compulsory quarantine under section 4(1) of the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap. 599E) who had taken that flight have to undergo compulsory testing by April 30,” said the statement.

Among those exempted from quarantine are flight crews and senior foreign diplomats and dignitaries.

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Mission reports 44% jump in abuse cases vs MDWs

By Vir B. Lumicao

Police responding to an alleged assault on a helper: many cases are not prosecuted

Some 70 cases of rape or indecent assault committed against migrant domestic workers were reported by victims to the police last year, but a number of these alleged offenses have been dismissed by investigators due to insufficient evidence.

This was learned today, Apr 29, from the Mission for Migrant Workers, a Church-based charitable organization that has been helping domestic workers fight for their rights.

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The Mission said in its 2020 Service Report released recently that reports of violence against women or ill-treatment cases grew by an alarming 44 percent from the 2019 levels.

“Violence against women (has) intensified in the past year, with more violations concerning the vulnerability of migrant women to such deeds,” the report said.

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Included in this sphere are rape or sexual harassment cases, which rose to 6% of all reported cases last year, from a mere 2% in the previous year. The alleged offenses happened right in the homes of the FDWs’ employers.

Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, Mission’s general manager said last year’s recorded increase was derived from the 1,163 new clients who sought the Mission’s help with their cases.

Tellez urges MDWs to build up their cases so they're brought to court 

Mission officers say most of the cases are still being investigated by police, although a number have already been dropped, underlining the difficulty faced by those who are victimized inside private homes to build evidence to prove their claims.

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“All of the rape and indecent assault cases last year had been reported to the police, but several of the early cases have been dismissed for insufficient evidence,” said Mission case officer Edwina Antonio.

Antonio, who is also the executive director of the Mission’s shelter, Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, said one of the cases that was not brought to court was an indecent assault complaint filed last year by an Indian domestic worker against her male employer.

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Another Mission officer, Esther Bangcawayan, said also among last year’s cases was a Filipina who had suffered frequent sexual assault/harassment from her male employer since 2018.

The worker reportedly complained of her male employer fondling her around the waist and buttocks, and of initiating sex chats, including asking her if she needed a lover.

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Bangcawayan said the worker was so scared and stressed out that she couldn’t sleep, and large pimples formed on her face. She finally terminated her contract in the last quarter of that year, claiming on top of the sexual assaults, that she was given little food to eat, and was overworked.

When the worker approached the Mission for help, she was immediately told to report to the police, Bangcawayan said. The victim was also referred to the Consulate so she could be housed in its shelter.

The disturbing rise in the number of rape and indecent assault cases underscored the vulnerability of the migrant women to such type of abuse due to the “live-in” policy of the Hong Kong government for migrant domestic workers.

The Mission, along with workers groups, human rights lawyers and sympathetic legislators, have urged the government over the years to allow domestic workers to stay out because the live-in arrangement makes them prone to abuse and exploitation.

But the Immigration Department has steadfastly stood by the policy, saying that allowing the helpers to stay out would encourage them to take on illegal part-time jobs.

In its annual report, the Mission said 11,285 workers sought its assistance for case support, rights-based information and other critical services.

Labor cases made up the biggest chunk, or 77% of incidence reports the Mission has collated; followed by police cases, 8%; immigration cases, 6%; employment agency-related complaints, 5%; personal loan, 3%, and others, 1%.

“Labor-related problems remain the top cases we handled last year, an increase of 9% (from the number in) 2018,” the MFMW service report said. 

Complaints of overcharging by employment agencies also grew last year, with the majority of workers who had issues with their agencies saying they were charged excessive and illegal fees.

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Churches now allowed to fill 50% of capacity under relaxed gathering rules

By The SUN

A church filled to 30% of its capacity under previous restrictions

Churches and other premises used for religious gatherings can be filled to up to 50% of their capacity under relaxed new rules that take effect today, Apr 29, and should last for 14 days until May 12.

A press statement issued by the government also said that if religious events are held outdoors where no food or drink is served, except as part of a religious ritual, the intake could be up to 100% of the capacity.

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The news should come as a relief to many churchgoers who have been routinely turned away for public masses in the past weeks because the previous restrictions allowed venues to be filled to only up to 30% of their capacity.

However, the general rule that allows only four people to gather in public stays in place.

According to the government, the restrictions may be relaxed further, depending on the outcome of the initial phase.

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"Depending on the epidemic development and the implementation of the first phase of measures under the 'vaccine bubble', we will review and adjust the details of the measures and consider further relaxation of restrictions in respect of the operation of restaurants and other premises under the second phase,” said its statement. 

The news comes as 15 new Covid-19 cases, all of them imported, were reported today. They took the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Hong Kong to 11,771.

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The bulk of the cases, or 13 people aged between 8 to 78, had flown in from Nepal. Eleven tested positive while under quarantine, and two on their arrival at the airport.

The two other patients are both females, one aged 30 who had come in from Indonesia, and another aged 32, who flew in from India. Both were asymptomatic and tested positive while in hotel quarantine.

Restaurants are not keen to comply with vaccination requirements just to take in more diners

Meanwhile, as part of the easing of restrictions, pubs, karaoke bars and party rooms have been allowed to reopen, five months after they were shut down in the wake of a surge in Covid-19 cases.

However, they are being allowed to resume operations only if all their staff and customers have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, unless they are declared unfit for vaccination because of health reasons.

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Business operators say they will have difficulty complying with the new regulations under the so-called “vaccine bubble” because many of their customers and part-time staff are young people who do not want to take the vaccine.

Many restaurants, on the other hand, are not keen to snap up the offer to extend their service hours up to 2am and seat up to eight people to a table, because it comes with even stricter requirements.

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To avail of this concession, all their staff must have been fully vaccinated, and their dine-in customers should have had at least one dose of the vaccine. In addition, customers should use the LeaveHomeSafe app before being allowed to dine in.

Under the new restrictions, tour groups comprising not more than 30 persons are now allowed, as long as they are organized by licensed travel agents whose frontline staff must have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine. Staff who are medically unfit to receive a vaccine should undergo a swab test for Covid-19 within seven days before the start of the tour.

For wedding ceremonies where no food or drink is served, the number of guests will increase to a maximum of 50 from the present 20 if the ceremony is held indoors, and 100 if outdoors.

For business meetings held to comply with an Ordinance or regulations, up to 50 people may now attend (from the present 20) if held indoors, and 100 if outdoors.

Details of the new Regulations can be viewed by clicking this link: 

https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202104/28/P2021042800868.htm

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