Filipina DH suffering from lupus fears losing her job

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The Filipina patient awaits her fate while confined at TKO Hospital

A lupus-stricken Filipina domestic helper is under close monitoring by doctors in Tseung Kwan O Hospital, where her employer took her Monday night after she had severe headache and nausea, both offshoot of her rare disease. 

The patient, E.L.S., who works for a Chinese family in Sai Kung, said she is now worried that her employer would dismiss her because of her health condition.

The 28-year-old Filipina said she received a message from her employer on Tuesday morning saying she could no longer work for them. The helper said she was concerned this could mean the employer is going to fire her.

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In the evening, the patient also got a phone call from Welfare Officer Virsie Tamayao of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration who was informed by The SUN about her situation.  The worker said Tamayao promised her OWWA’s medical and livelihood assistance and scholarship for one of her siblings, as she is single.

As she is still under coverage by the two-year mandatory insurance for all departing workers in the Philippines, she could also get medical benefits from this.

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But that gives her little comfort, knowing she could be booted out by her employer any time because of her condition. 

E.L.S., the eldest daughter of a construction worker and a laundrywoman in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan, said this is her first time to work abroad. Being single, she helps support her parents and four sisters.

She came to Hong Kong on Dec 12 last year to work for a Chinese family in Fortress Hill but was dismissed after a month when her 74-year-old male ward died of illness.

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The worker was allowed by Immigration to find another employer and on Feb 22, she began working as a second helper for a family at Marina Cove on Hiram’s Highway.

In August, E.L.S. suffered from severe pain in her joints and dizziness. She was diagnosed at TKO Hospital to have systemic lupus erythematosus, a rare autoimmune disease.

Medical journals say lupus occurs when the immune system attacks a person’s tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by the disease can affect different body systems, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.

E.L.S. said she still doesn’t know how long she would stay in the hospital. But she has already told her parents about her illness and they advised her to go home, she said.  

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TST building locked down as 4 preliminary positive cases reported

By The SUN 

All residents of Harbour Pinnacle have been told to get tested

A residential building in Tsim Sha Tsui was ordered locked down overnight starting at 7pm on Tuesday after a person who lives there tested preliminary positive for the L452R strain of the coronavirus.

Everyone who was in the building was ordered to undergo testing no later than 7am today, Wednesday.  All others who had stayed at the building for more than two hours from October 18 must get themselves tested before Nov. 11.

The 29-year-old patient who lives at Harbour Pinnacle on Minden Avenue is a cargo flight crew who was found to carry a heavy viral load (Ct value of 13 to 16), two days after arriving from Germany aboard CX2066.

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According to a statement released by the Centre for Health Protection shortly after the lockdown took effect, another crew member on the same flight had also tested preliminary positive with the same mutant strain of the coronavirus.

However, the 57-year-old man who lives in a house in Headland Village in Discovery Bay, carried a low viral load, with a Ct value of 31 to 34. But as a precaution, members of his household have been put under quarantine.

Both men tested negative for Covid-19 before they flew to Germany on Oct 31, and on their return to Hong Kong on Nov 6.

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As they were exempted from quarantine, the men were allowed to go home, but had to undergo compulsory testing on Nov 8 in line with regulations. Their test results both turned out positive on the same day.

Both men received two jabs of the BioNTech vaccine in Hong Kong, one on Apr 12 and May 8, and the other on Apr 13 and May 4.

The Filipina DH tested negative in all 6 tests conducted during her quarantine at Silka Tsuen Wan 

Two other preliminary positive cases were reported, involving a 30-year-old foreign domestic helper from the Philippines and a 15-year-old female patient who came from Italy via Qatar.

Both tested positive only after finishing their 21-day quarantine, and were found to have low viral load. CHP said it was possible the two patients were re-positive cases.

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The FDH arrived in Hong Kong from Manila via CX906 on Oct 17, and spent her mandatory quarantine at Silka Tsuen Wan hotel. All the results of the six tests conducted on her during quarantine were negative.

On Nov 7 she moved to Rosedale Hotel in Causeway Bay for further isolation. The next day she went for compulsory testing and the result was positive.

She had two doses of the Moderna vaccine in the Philippines on Jul 6 and Aug 3 in the Philippines.

The teenager from Italy arrived in Hong Kong on Oct 14 via Qatar Air flight QR818. She also tested negative on all six Covid-19 tests conducted during her quarantine at Gateway Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.

She ended her quarantine on Nov 4 and underwent compulsory testing on Nov 8, and the result was positive, with Ct value of 27 to 29.

As a precaution, all of the places where the two patients had been to since after their quarantine have been put under CTN.

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4 to a group rule remains, use of LeaveHomeSafe to be extended

By The SUN 

It's still only 4 people to a group, as HK strives to reopen borders with China

Hong Kong has extended for a further two weeks, or until Nov 24, social distancing measures that require no more than four people to gather in public places. Anyone found violating this rule could be fined $5,000 outright.

In a press release issued today, Nov 9, the Food and Health Bureau also said the government is exploring how the mandatory use of the LeaveHomeSafe mobile application can be extended further.

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Meanwhile, the Center for Health Protection announced that only one confirmed case of Covid-19 had been recorded as of midnight last time, involving a 19-year-old female passenger of CX881 who flew in from the United States on Nov 7.

The patient who was asymptomatic, tested positive on her arrival test. She was also found to carry the L452R mutant strain of the coronavirus.

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In announcing the extension of the gathering restrictions, the FHB said the aim is to protect public health and foster favourable conditions for resuming cross-boundary travel with the Mainland.

In its statement, the FHB said it is looking at extending the use of the LeaveHomeSafe app in catering venues and other “suitable scheduled premises,” with the details to be announced later.

Scanning the LeaveHomeSafe app is a must for people entering govt venues

Currently, the use of the app has been made mandatory for everyone aged 12 to 64 at all indoor government venues, including wet markets, for contact tracing purposes. 

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Restaurants and all private premises are still given the option to let their visitors fill in their names and contact details in slips of paper.

The FHB also expressed alarm at the low vaccination rate for Covid-19 among the elderly. Only 15% of those aged 80 and above have reportedly taken the jabs, leaving around 85% of them unprotected and in danger of suffering serious side effects should they get infected.

Among the existing regulations to be maintained are that a maximum of four persons can sit together in restaurants; eating and drinking, as well as live performances are still prohibited inside cinemas; adequate distance and partitions will be maintained in such venues as bars and pubs, bath houses, games and amusement centers.

For a full list of the restrictions, please follow this link: https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202111/09/P2021110900265_380716_1_1636448809243.pdf

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Social welfare attaché in HK reposted to Philippines

By The SUN 

Villanueva posing for a picture shortly after arriving in HK

Filipino workers who are in need of assistance to resolve family problems are advised to approach the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration office for help.

This is so, because the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s office in the Consulate is closed at the moment following the departure of Social Welfare Attaché Lucita Villanueva nearly three months ago.

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Consul General Raly Tejada told The SUN said this evening, Nov 8, that Villanueva left on Aug 15 as she had been promoted to a key position in the regions.

“Lucit went home as she was promoted and appointed to a responsible position that will entail heading a DSWD Regional Office in the Philippines,” ConGen Tejada said.

 

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A recent news release from the Philippine News Agency said Villanueva, who is 63, is now division chief in DSWD Regional Office 6. She heads a project called “Shield,” which carries out educational assistance in six municipalities in Antique to address child labor issues.

Her unannounced departure was noticed only recently by some migrant workers who needed to refer some urgent cases to the DSWD.

Consul Tejada said he expects the DSWD to send somebody to fill the vacant position soon. 

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“We remain hopeful that a suitable replacement will be appointed by DSWD soon,” the consul general said.

“In the meantime, ATN and OWWA can provide counseling and any other necessary assistance,” he added.

Villanueva (left) at an official function in Antique on Oct 28

Villanueva was posted in Hong Kong in December last year. A career social worker, she took over from her predecessor, Elizabeth Lim Dy, who reached retirement age last November.

Villanueva’s short stay in Hong Kong was not without controversy. Mission for Migrant Workers’ manager, Cynthia Abdon-Tellez, had written to the Consulate early this year to complain about hurting words Villanueva had allegedly used in counseling a pregnant domestic worker.

Tellez told The SUN she did not get a feedback from any of the three officials she had sent the letter to, including Villanueva.

Separately, several Filipino workers who had sought financial help from the DSWD office after being stranded in Hong Kong for months in the first half of the year told The SUN they were subjected to sarcastic comments by Villanueva.

J.R., who was heavily pregnant when she sought financial help from DSWD in May this year, related how she left Villanueva’s office in tears after she was told pointblank that she could not expect any help.

“Bakit daw ako nabuntis, sabi ko unplanned pero wanted naman po, siguro nagkamali lang ako ng pag take ng pills,” J.R. said. “Pag-usapan na lang daw namin ng asawa ko ang pagbili ng tiket ko na bago at tungkol sa plano namin para sa anak na, pero huwag daw iasa sa DSWD ang pagbubuntis ko kasi hindi daw sakop ng DSWD ang mga buntis.”

(She asked why I got pregnant, I said it was unplanned but not unwanted, maybe I just made a mistake when taking my pills. She said my husband and I should talk about buying my air ticket and our plans for our child, but not expect DSWD to help because the agency does not look after pregnant women).

J.R. said she was just three months on the way when she first consulted Villanueva, and she was reportedly told to quit because being pregnant is risky for someone like her who had to do manual work, unlike her who was just doing office work when she got pregnant.

Another stranded worker who was in the same chat group as J.R. shared how insignificant she felt when the welfare attaché asked her to open her wallet to prove that she really did not have any money with her.

Unfortunately, the workers were not able to file a formal complaint as they were told shortly after airing their grievances that they could already fly out in a group flight arranged by the Consulate with Philippine Airlines.

The DSWD office in Hong Kong is meant to provide help to migrant workers who are troubled by serious family problems that they can’t manage to handle due to their distance from home.

The attached office at the Consulate is also meant to provide critically needed counseling to workers who are left depressed by material or emotional concerns.

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Filipina withdrew $1.8M using ATM cards belonging to fellow DHs, court told

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The suspect was allegedly seen withdrawing money from ATMs in Jordan late at night (File)

A Filipina former domestic helper appeared in court again today, Nov 8, accused of withdrawing a total of $1.84 million from bank accounts using ATM cards pawned by other domestic workers as security for quick loans or part-time job offers.

Charity A. Marquez, 45 is charged with four counts of money laundering. Prosecutors said she was already an overstayer in Hong Kong, as her domestic helper visa expired on Aug. 30.

No plea was taken from her, and Kowloon City Magistrate Peony Wong remanded her in custody after the prosecution asked for a 12-week adjournment for further investigation.

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Marquez has been in custody since Jul 27, when she was arrested just hours before she was to fly to Manila after allegedly withdrawing $72,000 from ATM booths in Jordan.

A few hours earlier, 28 other people, including 23 Filipinas and Indonesian who all work as domestic helpers, were arrested in a two-day police operation against suspected money launderers who made their illicit money from romance scams.

The domestic helpers whose ATM cards were used in the scams have told investigators they surrendered them in exchange for loans amounting to $2,000 to $4,000.

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Others said they were lured by online advertisements of internet part-time jobs that paid up to $1,500 a week and were asked to hand over their ATM cards or open bank accounts as a condition for getting hired.

Shortly after turning their ATM cards over to the operators, the helpers said they got calls from their banks alerting them to some suspicious activity in their accounts.

The prosecution asked for a three-month adjournment, saying the police needed time to review 743 bank statements and analyze 390 hours of bank CCTV footages.

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“There are a lot of bank accounts and ATN card activities to be examined. It takes a very long investigation,” the prosecutor said.

Marquez asked the magistrate if the adjournment could be shortened, saying her family is already worried about her situation.

When Wong asked if she wanted to apply for bail, Marquez offered $300 to guarantee her provisional release and also promised to stay at a friend’s house in Yau Ma Tei.

The prosecutor immediately opposed bail, saying Marquez’s case is serious.

The suspect was reportedly arrested as she was handing over the money to 2 Nigerian men 

The magistrate was told that at the time of her arrest, Marquez was seen handing over a plastic bag containing the money that she had just withdrawn to two foreign men, presumably her handlers.

Officers taking part in “Operation Morningray” arrested Marquez and two Nigerian men who were alleged to be key players in the romance scam and laundering activity in the Jordan area.

They recovered $72,000 and 73 ATM cards in the plastic bag, the prosecutor said.

In a subsequent raid on the flat where Marquez stayed, police recovered a further $65,000 cash and various items of clothing that she wore on previous occasions that she withdrew money from the ATM machines.

In a statement issued after the arrests, the police said they discovered that bank accounts belonging to the FDHs were used to launder $27 million obtained through romance and telephone scam victims made up of 20 local Chinese victims and three firms.

Marquez, who claimed that she was just helping her friend, Julia, who ran the money laundering operation, will be back in court on Feb. 4.

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No new Covid-19 case recorded today

By The SUN 

No new infection was reported today in HK

The Centre for Health Protection announced no new coronavirus cases today, Nov. 8, leaving the total tally in Hong Kong at 12,368 confirmed cases and one probable case.

A total of 45 cases have been reported in the past 14 days ending on Nov. 7 and all of them are imported cases.

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Meanwhile, infectious disease expert Joseph Tsang said earlier today that the government should cut down further on the number of those given quarantine exemptions to prevent the entry of the new and potentially more infectious Delta plus variant.

The mutated form of the Delta variant was first found in a 62-year-old male traveler from the United Kingdom who tested positive three days after arriving aboard a British Airways flight on Nov. 1.

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Tsang questioned in particular why air crew, including pilots, are still given quarantine exemptions.

“Do we have to change that? I think the government has to monitor the situation in the UK…there should be as few exempted people as possible,” he said.

Tsang, who is the Hong Kong Medical Association suggested imposing quarantine rules on Cathay Pacific air crew first before expanding it to other airlines, but did not explain why.

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He also said he did not think the risks were high in allowing the Tourism Board’s plan to hold a New Year’s outdoor concert where 3,000 free tickets will be given away free to participants.

Tsang said there have been no new local cases for awhile, and the participants in the revelry will be required to wear masks and use the LeaveHomeSafe app for easier contact tracing in case of any outbreak.

To find out the latest local situation of Covid-19 in Hong Kong, please visit www.coronavirus.gov.hk.

The Department of Health has also been closely monitoring mutant strains of Covid-19 and has uploaded the latest information on variants of concern and variants of interest in the CHP website: www.chp.gov.hk/en/statistics/data/10/641/100135/6973.html). The data will be updated regularly.

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