Experts weigh govt plan to buy new anti-Covid drug, as 4 new infections reported

By The SUN 

Clinical trials show Molnupiravir is able to cut hospitalization of Covid-19 patients by half

Four new cases of Covid-19 infections were reported in Hong Kong today, Oct 4. All are asymptomatic and fully vaccinated.

Two of the patients flew in from the Philippines, one from Indonesia, and another from Egypt.

This came as experts weighed in on the government’s plan to buy 500 treatments, or about 5,000 tablets of the new oral Covid drug, molnupiravir.

Call now!

According to the head of the pharmacists’ association, the new drug from US company Merck & Co is effective and cheaper, and could help relieve the burden on hospitals if Hong Kong experiences a new outbreak of infections.

Molnupiravir is the first oral medication for Covid-19 to be released in the market, and costs US$700 (HK$5,460) for a five-day treatment.

Speaking on a radio program this morning, William Chui, president of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of HK, said the new drug is cheaper than Remdesivir, which is commonly used to treat Covid patients, and costs around HK$15,000 per treatment.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

Remdisivir was developed to combat the Ebola virus, but was later found to have beneficial effects on people infected with Covid-19.

Interim clinical results show molnupiravir can cut hospitalization by half.

However, University of Hong Kong microbiologist Ho Pak-leung advised the government to go easy with the new drug, saying trial results for it were still incomplete.

CLICK FOR DETAILS

Ho said vaccination is still the most effective way to prevent complications and deaths resulting from Covid-19.

Chui says HK should act quickly to secure the new drug 

Meanwhile, staff at the Department of Health said one of the arrivals from the Philippines is an 85-year-old male resident who arrived on Sept 29 via CX 906 while the other is a 29-year-old female domestic helper who flew in on 5J272.

The elderly man had the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the Philippines on Jul 26 and was staying at Regal Oriental Hotel in Kowloon when found infected.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

The helper received two doses of BioNTech vaccine in Hong Kong on Aug 2 and Aug 30 and was in quarantine at Ramada Grand Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui when she tested positive on her third-day sample.

The Indonesian arrival is also a FDH who arrived in Hong Kong on Oct 2 via CX798 and tested positive on her arrival test. She received two Sinovac doses in Indonesia on Jun 30 and Aug 2.

The passenger from Egypt is a 67-year-old man who arrived on Sept 30 via KE607. He tested positive on day 3 of his quarantine at Sheraton Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. He received the Covishield vaccine in India on Apr 5 and Jun 22.

They took the number of cases to 12,230 confirmed infections.

The Centre for Health Protection reminded relevant persons in the following specified premises to undergo compulsory testing by tomorrow, Oct. 5:

1)  Aigburth, 12 Tregunter Path, Mid-levels

2)  7 Lyttelton Road, Mid-Levels

3)     Two Island Place, 55 Tanner Road, North Point (excluding the ground floor and L2 to L4 of Two Island Place)

4)     Tung Yik Building, 8 Yu King Square, Yuen Long

5)     Block 20, Fortune Garden, Tam Mei, Yuen Long

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

PADALA NA!

Call us!

 

All 7-day slots at Penny’s Bay snapped up in minutes

By The SUN 

Rooms at Penny's Bay will be available for booking again on Oct. 11

All the 350 slots opened up for arriving foreign domestic helpers in Penny’s Bay quarantine centre have been snapped up within minutes after the booking reopened at 9am today, Oct. 4.

A check of the dedicated booking page for Penny’s Bay on the Labour Department’s website shows the button “start booking” no longer works.

That means, according to a previous announcement by Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong, all the daily quota of 50 rooms for the next seven available booking dates of Oct 22 to 28 have been filled up.

Call now!

This is despite the 200 additional rooms that Law said had been set aside at Penny’s Bay for newly arrived FDHs starting Oct. 22.

The booking site will reopen again on Monday, Oct 11, for the next weekly quota of 350 rooms, starting from Oct 29 to Nov. 4.

Among those waiting to secure one of the coveted slots are Filipina DHs who have had to renew their employment visas a couple of times because of the flight ban, and now, the difficulty of racing against thousands others who are also desperate to get to HK.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

One of them, Helen Agudo, said her visa was expiring on Oct 21, and was hoping she could leave before then. Luckily, her supportive employer immediately applied for an extension of her visa, after probably realizing that the next available bookings at Penny’s Bay would be past the expiry date. 

Agudo, however, still doesn’t know when she can fly to HK.

Another FDH-in-waiting is Grace Cadiente, who said she has been waiting since March to come to Hong Kong. She is with a group of recruits who have reportedly secured all the required documents, except for their quarantine bookings and air tickets. 

CLICK FOR DETAILS

Cadiente is afraid their employers have already backed out, but said their recruitment agency in the Philippines which collected Php31,000 from each of them, has not been giving them any updates, including whether it is even trying to secure slots for them at Penny's Bay.  

Thousands of FDHs are still waiting to come to HK despite strict boarding & quarantine rules 

Up to 7,000 FDHs who were stranded in the Philippines and Indonesia after Hong Kong imposed a flight ban on the two countries designated as high risk for Covid-19, are waiting to come to Hong Kong.

Those coming from the Philippines have been waiting to come since the flight ban was imposed on the country on Apr 20. The ban was extended to Indonesia on Jun 25.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

While the ban was lifted for all vaccinated travelers from the high-risk countries since Aug 30, FDHs have been arriving in trickles since Hong Kong decided to let only 50 of them in each day. On top of this, they can only spend their 21-day quarantine at Penny’s Bay or Silka Tsuen Wan Hotel.

Yesterday, Law ruled out increasing the daily quota for incoming FDHs, citing the 4.3% infection rate among Filipina DHs who arrived in Hong Kong from Aug 30 to Oct. 1.

He also said that only about 40 managed to come in each day. This is likely because the 10 others failed to meet strict pre-boarding requirements, including a negative Covid-19 test result within 72 hours of boarding their flights to Hong Kong, a confirmed booking at a designated quarantine facility, and a recognized vaccination card.

In a few documented cases, the FDHs were not allowed to board by airline staff on the mistaken belief that their Hong Kong visas which would expire while they were in quarantine disqualified them from entry to the city.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

PADALA NA!

Call us!

Another Filipina DH hangs self over personal problems

By Daisy CL Mandap 

The victim hanged herself in the bathroom of one of the flat in this housing block

A longtime Filipina domestic helper has reportedly hanged herself in her employer’s flat at no 3, Tai Wing Avenue, Tai Koo Shing yesterday afternoon.

It was the second suicide by hanging of a Filipina helper in five days, and the third in less than two months.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong Police said today, Oct. 3, that the helper, who was 47 years old, was found by her employer hanged with a rope inside their bathroom. The employer reportedly tried to bring her down but failed to do so.

PRESS FOR DETAILS 

The police who were called took her down, and when they found her still breathing, rushed her to Pamela Youde Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan, where she was declared dead.

The police spokesman said the helper had some personal problems. It appeared she had an ongoing police case and also had a medical condition, which both triggered her depression.

She was reportedly due to report back to the police for a follow-up investigation when she passed out and was taken to hospital. She was due to have an MRI screening yesterday when she was found dead.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

According to Welfare Attache Virsie Tamayao, the deceased had been working with her employer for the past 16 years.

The employer, who reported the death to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office this morning,  was described as “very supportive” of the victim.

The deceased helper was from San Vicente, Iloilo, and was married with a 24-year-old daughter.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

Tamayao said the victim was “in a good relationship” with her husband.

A sister-in-law who also works as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, is working on the repatriation of the victim’s remains.

On Sept 27, a 37-year-old Filipina DH also hanged herself in her employer’s flat in Tseung Kwan O after reportedly being left to pay for a loan which a close friend had taken out.

Call now!

On Aug. 19, a 41-year-old Filipina was also found hanging in her employer’s flat on Stubb’s Road in Wanchai after reportedly being victimized in an ATM scam.

The string of suicides has prompted the Consulate to issue an advisory for workers to go to them for any problems that they need help with, both as regards their work or personal problems.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

People who are depressed can also seek assistance from the Samaritans, which provides multi-lingual counseling through its 24-hour hotline, 2896-0000.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

PADALA NA!

Labour chief rules out increase in FDH arrivals, citing high infection rate

By The SUN

 

Law cites the 4.3% infection rate among Filipino DHs as reason for HK's cautious stance (File)

Labour and Welfare Secretary Law Chi-kwong has ruled out increasing the number of foreign domestic helpers being allowed in despite an urgent need by Hong Kong families, saying the city is trying its best to avoid importing the virus.

Writing in his Sunday blog, Law said that in the past month, about 40 foreign domestic helpers have arrived in Hong Kong on a daily basis.

From Aug 30 to Sept 24 he said a total of 606 Filipino helpers arrived in Hong Kong. As of October 1, 26 of these helpers have been diagnosed with Covid-19, an infection rate of 4.3 percent.

Call now!

“And this 4.3% diagnosis rate is ‘not simple’ at all. If there are still people who think we need to increase the number of foreign domestic helpers who come to Hong Kong every day, I have nothing to say,” Law said.

Law said in January, an average of about 70 FDHs arrived in Hong Kong every day, but that has dropped to 40 since they were allowed to start trickling back in on Aug. 30 under very strict restrictions, such as staying in only two designated quarantine facilities. 

Hong Kong’s reopening its doors to fully vaccinated FDHs from the Philippines and other extremely high-risk countries was meant to fill the shortage of helpers in the city.

PRESS FOR DETAILS 

“The shortage of foreign domestic helpers is tens of thousands. You can imagine how much pressure thousands of families face without the support of foreign domestic helpers,” Law said. 

“This distress has appeared since the beginning of the epidemic early last year, but it has only become more serious since April 20 this year,” said Law, denoting the date when Hong Kong banned passenger flights from seven “high-risk” countries, including the Philippines. Indonesia was added to the list on Jun 25.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Law said the number of FDHs in Hong Kong peaked at 400,000, but has fallen to fewer than 360,000 today. Last month, Law said Filipinos made up 62% of all FDHs arrivals.

Filipino helpers go through strict pre-boarding requirements before being allowed to come to HK

He added that all newly arrived FDHs passed rigorous pre-boarding requirements, such as being fully vaccinated before coming to Hong Kong, obtaining a negative nucleic acid test result within 72 hours of flying here, and being isolated on arrival.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

But he said bringing them in from high-risk places like the Philippines and Indonesia is like “walking on thin ice,” suggesting that it has a lot of pitfalls.

“As I pointed out in my blog on Sept 12, when dealing with importing foreign domestic helpers from high-risk areas, we must walk on thin ice and be cautious,” Law said.

He added that he checks the epidemic situation in the Philippines and Indonesia every day, and also takes note of the confirmed cases of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

On the coronavirus front, the Centre for Health Protection said there was no new confirmed case of Covid-19 had been recorded, leaving the number of cases in Hong Kong at 12,227 so far.

A total of 69 cases have been reported in the past 14 days ending Oct 2 and all of them are imported cases.

Meanwhile, the CHP said that the Australian health authority has informed them that a  55-year-old cargo flight crew who was found infected there a day after traveling from Hong Kong has been re-tested negative.

The case, announced by the CHP on Oct 1, involved a man who lives at Block 3, Monterey Cove, Phase 1, Caribbean Coast, 2 Kin Tung Road, Tung Chung.

As the case is not classified as a Covid-19 infection, the man’s close contacts in Hong Kong have been released from the quarantine centre.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

PADALA NA!

Filipina DH wins $15k shopping vouchers in vaccination raffle draw

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

The $50 vouchers are worth a total of $15,000

If it’s meant to be, you don't have to do much except cross your fingers. But first, you ask questions.

This was what happened to Armela de China (she swears the quaint name is her real name) who just recently won $15,000 worth of store vouchers in the vaccination lucky draw sponsored by Goodman, a global logistics and industrial property company based in Hong Kong.

When she first saw The SUN’s article on the raffle, Armela sent a private message immediately to ask if foreign domestic workers were qualified to join.

Call now!

“Kasali po ba dito yung mga helper kasi parang nabasa ko na residents only lang,” she said. (Are helpers included because I seem to have read somewhere that this is for residents only).

PRESS FOR DETAILS 

When assured that the only lucky draw where FDWs were specifically left out was the one for the brand-new flat in Kwun Tong, she was overjoyed.

Pindutin para sa detalye

“Wooow, salamat!” she said.

And she did join, obviously, because the next time we heard from her, it was her saying that she won in the "goodshot Lucky Draw." 

Amela received this notification about her win from the organizers

She may not have bagged the brand-new Tesla worth $500,000 which was the top prize, but the $15,000 worth of vouchers at hana-musubi Japanese food shop which she received as one of four 5th-prize winners was not something to sneeze at, either.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

“Nanalo po ako, $15k na voucher” was her next message, which was accompanied by pictures of the pink-colored vouchers priced $50 each which were sent to her.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

She didn’t reply anymore when we asked what she intended to do with her winnings, but it’s probably safe to assume she and her friends will be feasting on a lot of Japanese food in the next few weekends.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

PADALA NA!

5 new arrivals from Phl, India, Germany & France test positive for Covid-19

By The SUN

 

3 of the patients, including the Filipina DH, were found infected on arrival

Five new imported cases of Covid-19 were reported in Hong Kong today, Oct. 2, including one newly arrived Filipina domestic helper. The others are two returnees from India, one from Germany, and another from France.

All of the new patients carried a mutated form of the coronavirus, and all are fully vaccinated.

They took Hong Kong’s total Covid-19 tally to 12,226 confirmed and one probable case.

Call now!

The Filipina and the two Indian returnees all arrived on Sept 30 and tested positive at Hong Kong airport.

The 33-year-old Filipina flew in via Philippine Airlines flight PR300. She was fully vaccinated with Sinovac in the Philippines, and carried the L452R mutant strain.

The Indian returnees included a 71-year-old man and 62-year-old woman who both flew in via via UK6401. The man tested positive for the N501Y mutant strain, while the woman carried the L452R strain. Both received two jabs of Covishield vaccine in India.

PRESS FOR DETAILS 

The passengers from Germany and France tested positive while in quarantine. They both tested positive for the L452R mutant strain.

The 41-year-old man who came from Germany flew in on Sept 28 via TK083, and was quarantined at Ramada Harbour View Hotel in Sai Ying Pun. He had two shots of the Sinovac vaccine in Hong Kong and also tested positive for antibodies.

The man from France is 29 years old and also arrived on Sept 28, but via CX260. He got vaccinated with BioNTech in France, and was in quarantine at Best Western Hotel in Sai Ying Pun when he was confirmed to have Covid-19.

 

More than 200 seniors attended the mobile vaccination drive

Meanwhile, 205 elderly residents took part in the government’s latest mobile vaccination drive at Hung Hom Community Hall earlier today.

Pindutin para sa detalye

The senior citizens attended a health talk on Covid-19 vaccines and were invited to get their first shot of the Sinovac vaccine

On hand to encourage them to get vaccinated was Secretary for the Civil Service, Patrick Nip.

"Whether you are in your 70s, 80s, or even much senior, it is urgent that you protect yourself through learning about Covid-19 vaccines and get vaccinated,” Nip told them.

PRESS FOR DETAILS!

He said that the mobile service covering a health talk, medical consultation and on-site vaccination has been provided in various districts.

“The vaccinations were smooth and safe and some of the vaccine recipients were in their 90s. On the contrary, under the threat posed by mutant strains, elderly who are not vaccinated will be subject to the extremely high risk of getting seriously ill and death from Covid-19.”

An elderly man bravely takes the jab and is applauded by Nip and other officials

Experts have recommended that elderly persons should get vaccinated as soon as possible if they are not suffering from acute illnesses. They say the Covid-19 vaccines are as safe as those for the flu, which many elderly people regularly receive.

All eligible persons who want to receive a Covid-19 vaccination can go to any Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs) to collect same-day tickets. They can get vaccinated right away as long as there are quotas available at the CVC they go to.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

Meanwhile, patients and visitors may also apply to receive the BioNTech vaccine without prior booking at the Covid-19 vaccination stations in Queen Mary Hospital, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital.

But people may still make reservations for their preferred date and time for vaccination through www.covidvaccine.gov.hk, or go to any private doctor or clinic under the government’s vaccination program to get jabbed with Sinovac.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

PADALA NA!