No new Covid-19 case found in building where infected Filipina DH lives

By Daisy CL Mandap 

All 130 people tested at the building were clear of the coronavirus (RTHK photo)

Hong Kong authorities say no new coronavirus infection was found in a building in Happy Valley which was put under lockdown overnight after a Filipina domestic helper who moved there after quarantine tested positive for Covid-10 with the L452R strain.

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The 31-year-old Filipina who arrived on Oct 23 via 5J272, tested negative on her arrival in Hong Kong, and in all six tests conducted during her 21-day stay at Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre.

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But five days after moving in with her employer in Way Man Court at 50-52 Village Road in Happy Valley, she tested preliminary positive for the mutated form of the coronavirus, with a low viral load.

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Officials said one of her test results after she was admitted to hospital was indeterminate, while her antibody test was positive.

As her case involved a mutant strain, the government ordered a lockdown of the building so everyone who was there, plus anyone who had been present there for more than two hours from Oct 29 to Nov 19, could be put under compulsory testing.

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But after 12 hours of testing about 130 people, the government said no new case was found, and the operation was declared finished at 8:45 am today. A spot check on the test record of around 20 persons showed everyone had complied with the compulsory testing order.

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The Filipina was one of three confirmed cases today.

The others include a 62-year-old man who came from Canada on Nov 10 via AC007, and tested positive for the N501Y mutant strain. He was spending his quarantine at Regal Airport Hotel in Chek Lap Kok when he developed symptoms on Nov 17, and was found positive the day after.

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The third is a 48-year-old man who flew in from Pakistan via TK083 on Nov 6 and was found to carry the L452R strain though asymptomatic. He tested positive for the coronavirus while on his 12^th day in quarantine at Silka Far East Hotel.

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Filipina DH is lone Covid-19 case

By The SUN 

The Filipina was on her third day in quarantine at Penny's Bay when she tested positive

The Centre for Health Protection has announced that a Filipina domestic helper who was under quarantine at Penny’s Bay is the only confirmed case of Covid-19 today, Nov. 19.

The 34-year-old worker, who was fully vaccinated with Sinovac in the Philippines, was found to carry the L452R mutant strain of the coronavirus.

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The CHP said the patient arrived in Hong Kong on Nov 15 via 5J272. She tested positive on her third-day sample.

She took Hong Kong’s total number of confirmed cases to 12,395 and one probable case.

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Meanwhile, experts advising the government on its vaccination program have agreed to let teenagers aged 12 to 17 to receive the Sinovac jab first, before extending the inoculation to cover children aged 3 to 11.

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Lau Yu-ling, chairman of the CHP’s Scientific Commmittee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases said the vaccination program can be extended to the younger children as soon as the new school term starts next year.

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For now, he said teenagers should be next in line for getting vaccinated with Sinovac.

They will still have to receive two doses of the vaccine, with a waiting period of 28 days between the two jabs.

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Lau said it is best to implement policies and gradually, and also, to prepare parents for having to submit their kids to vaccination at a young age.

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But at the same time, he cited clinical studies showing administering Sinovac to children as young as three is safe and efficient.

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Global data also show six million doses of Sinovac have been administered safely to kids aged three to 11.

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Filipina DH leaves 2 young wards at MTR station to go and steal goodies

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The Filipina left her young wards inside the MTR station while she stole some more goods from a shop

A Filipina domestic helper admitted in Kwun Tong Court today, Nov 19, that she left her two young wards at the Hang Hau MTR station on Sept 8 to steal chocolates and other goodies in a nearby shop.

The 38-year-old defendant, M.B. Grospe, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and one count of ill-treatment or neglect of her young wards before Magistrate Bina Chainrai.

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Grospe, who was on bail and escorted to the court by a Consulate officer, said she stole the items to send to her two children, aged 22 and 18, and for her own consumption.

After her arrest, bystanders noticed a year-old-baby and her 10-year-old sibling unattended in a nook on Hang Hau MTR station and notified police.

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The officers learned that they were Grospe’s wards whom she left inside the station while she returned to a nearby shop to steal some more goods.

The prosecution said that around 8:25am on that day, staff at the Best Mart 360 grocery in Shop 127, The Lane, Hang Hau, noticed some grocery items were gone from the racks.

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She reviewed the CCTV footage and saw a woman take the goods and put them in her shopping bag, then left without paying for them. The items were valued at $500.

Then, around 4pm on the same day, the woman returned and the staff tailed her.

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The staff reportedly saw Grospe put in her shopping bag six cans of luncheon meat, 80 chocolate pieces, one Nutella chocolate spread and other items with a total value of $3,580. When she left without paying, the staff intercepted her outside the shop.

The newly stolen goods were in the bag, along with some of the items the defendant stole earlier. The incident was reported and Grospe was arrested.

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In a police video interview, the defendant admitted she stole the goods to send home to her children. She also admitted leaving her employer’s two children at the station but claimed that at no time were they exposed to danger or suffering.

The defense lawyer said the defendant, who was separated from her husband, came to Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper five years ago. The children’s parents were her second employers.

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The lawyer begged for a lenient sentence, saying most of the stolen items were recovered. But the magistrate rebuked him, telling him 80 pieces of chocolate were no small amount.

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Chainrai adjourned the case until Dec 3 for a background report and sentencing. She told Grospe to expect a jail term as she remanded her in custody. 

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HK to let those fully vaccinated with Sinovac to get booster shot

By The SUN 

Among the first to receive the Sinovac jab were top government officials

The government announced today, Nov 18, that anyone who has received two doses of Sinovac vaccine six months ago or earlier can book their third dose of a Covid-19 vaccine starting on Tuesday, Nov. 23.

The rule applies to all Sinovac recipients, whether or not they belong to the priority groups like those aged 60 and above, those who are immunocompromised, or are in high-risk jobs like air crew and cross-border drivers.

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As with the others listed down as priority groups on Nov 11, those who received Sinovac can opt to get the BioNTech vaccine for their third dose.

A study by experts at Hong Kong University showed those who were fully vaccinated BioNTech had ten times more antibodies than those who had Sinovac.

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The government reminded the public that there should be an interval of at least 14 days between a Covid-19 vaccination and any other vaccinations, including the one for seasonal flu.

Those who are immunocompromised, such as cancer patients, organ transplant recipients, advanced-stage HIV patients and persons taking active immunosuppressive drugs should take the third dose at least four weeks from the second dose.

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For all others who had received the BioNTech vaccine, including the elderly and frontline staff, the third dose should be administered at least six months from the second dose.

All qualified residents may take the booster dose through the following channels:

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(1) By making a reservation at a CVC or designated clinics of the Hospital Authority through this website: www.covidvaccine.gov.hk

(2) Going to any CVC to collect same-day tickets, (except those located at a private hospital) without prior booking. The tickets will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis;

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(3) By going to any of the nine designated public hospitals where BioNTech is administered

(4) Making a reservation for a Sinovac vaccination through private doctors or clinics enrolled in the Vaccination Programme. The list is here: www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/en/VSS.

Currently, BioNTech vaccine is given to those aged 12 or above while the Sinovac vaccine is for persons aged 18 or above.

For recommendation of a third dose COVID-19 vaccination, please refer to www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/pdf/Third_dose_supplementary_sheet_ENG.pdf.

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Cathay sacks 3 infected pilots for violating isolation guidelines

By The SUN

Cathay found out that the 3 pilots left their hotel room in Frankfurt, in violation of guidelines

Cathay Pacific Airways has fired three of its cargo pilots who tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival in Hong Kong, saying they breached internal guidelines while abroad.

Reports say the three violated company regulations by leaving their hotel in Frankfurt for extended periods during short layovers early this month.

“After investigation into these cases, regrettably, the findings indicate a serious breach of requirements during crew overseas layovers. The individuals concerned are no longer employed by Cathay Pacific,” the airline said in a statement released on Thursday.

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 The three pilots stayed in the crew hotel, Hyatt Regency Mainz, after flying out of Hng Kong.

Two of them, aged 57 and 29, left on Oct 31 for Germany and returned on November 6 on cargo flight CX2066 from Frankfurt.  

The third pilot, who is 53, left Hong Kong on Nov 3 for Germany and returned from Frankfurt on Nov. 7 on flight CX3166.

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All tested negative on arrival, and because they enjoyed quarantine exemption, were allowed to go home.

But subsequent tests showed they were infected with Covid-19 with the Delta variant, which carried a mutation commonly seen in Germany.

The Centre for Health Protection had earlier said that during interviews with health authorities, the three maintained they never left their hotel room.

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This prompted CHP to conclude that there was a Covid-19 outbreak in their hotel, and ordered 130 other aircrew who had also stayed there to undergo compulsory quarantine. 

More than 120 kids at DBIS were moved to a quarantine centre after one of pilots tested positive

More than 120 kindergarten and primary grade pupils of Discovery Bay International School were also moved to Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre as one of the pilots' wife teaches there and two of his sons are students.

Reacting to news of the breach, the Transport and Housing Bureau said it deeply regretted the cargo crew’s non-compliance with the requirements of the closed-loop operation during their layover in Frankfurt.

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Considering the severity of the incident, the Bureau said it has already directed Cathay to seriously investigate the incident and ensure that it does not happen again.

The Bureau noted that Cathay recently tightened the rules for its air cargo staff, including daily post-arrival testing for all returning crew, stricter monitoring of compliance with the closed-loop operation during layovers abroad, imposing more stringent rules during their medical surveillance periods, and requiring all air crew to take a third dose of a Covid vaccine.

Speaking about the incident early this week, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Cathay agreed to impose more restrictions on air crew on the first three days of their return to Hong Kong.

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This includes leaving home for a maximum of two hours to buy food or seek medical attention, and taking a Covid-19 test regularly.

Before the stepped-up measures, the airline merely relied on the self-discipline of crew members when it came to compliance guidelines.

Meanwhile, the CHP reported four new Covid-19 cases today, involving arrivals from Singapore, Germany (and Portugal), United Kingdom and Pakistan (via United Arab Emirates).

Two tested positive on arrival at Hong Kong airport, and the other two during quarantine.

All were fully vaccinated, but carried the L452R mutant strain of the coronavirus.

They took Hong Kong’s total tally to 12,395 confirmed cases and one probable case.

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Filipino DH jailed 3 months for possession of ‘shabu’

By Vir B. Lumicao 

The shabu or ice found on the defendant weighed a total of 2.39 grams

A Filipino domestic helper was sentenced in Eastern Court today, Nov 18, to three months in jail after he pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing dangerous drugs.

The defendant, Joel. R. Bonifacio, was sentenced by Magistrate Daniel Tang, who rejected the  defense appeal for a suspended sentence so the accused could continue working.

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Bonifacio, 42, pleaded guilty to the charges on Oct 28, but the magistrate delayed the sentencing to await a drug addiction treatment centre report.

The defendant was arrested on May 6 during a police anti-dangerous drugs operation at Pier 4 on Man Kwong St, Central. An officer saw Bonifacio acting suspiciously and frisked him.

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Bonifacio’s right trouser pocket yielded a plastic bag that had 0.82g of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or “ice” to locals and “shabu” among Filipinos.

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A full body search held at Central Police Station at 6:50pm found in his underpants a packing bag of throat lozenges that yielded a resealable plastic bag with 1.47g of “ice”.

The court heard the defendant was a drug dependent though he had a clear record

In mitigation, the lawyer said the defendant came to Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper. He is married, with his wife looking after their children in the Philippines.

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He said his client had no previous conviction, had a clear record and his employer had written a letter to the court putting in a good word for him.

The lawyer also said the DATC report was positive, thus, the magistrate should consider imposing a suspended sentence.

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Tang, however, said the amount of dangerous drug found on the defendant called for a custodial sentence.

The magistrate sentenced the defendant to two months in prison for the first charge and three months for the second charge, to run concurrently, so the net sentence is three months. 

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HK investigates 2 re-positive cases, virus-tainted parcel from China

By The SUN 

The Chai Wan estate where the Indonesian helper lives, has been put under compulsory testing notice

Hong Kong health authorities have reported two suspected cases of re-positive cases, involving a foreign domestic worker from Indonesia and a male returnee from Singapore, both of whom were confirmed to have Covid-19 earlier.

In a statement issued today, the Centre for Health Protection said the 29-year-old Indonesian helper arrived in Hong Kong on Oct 15 via CX798. She tested negative on arrival and all the tests conducted during her 21-day quarantine.

She then returned to her employer’s residence at New Jade Garden in Chai Wan.

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On Nov 15 she underwent compulsory testing in line with protocols, and the result was indeterminate. However, after being sent to hospital, she tested positive with a low viral load.

She told investigators she received two doses of Sinovac vaccine in Indonesia in July and August, but was found positive for Covid-19 in a test on Oct 13. A confirmatory test the next day had a negative result.

After being told that the helper had visited Immigration Tower on Nov 5 to apply for a smart ID card, the office immediately ordered the thorough disinfection of the 8^th floor of the building and for staff there to get tested.

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Residents of New Jade Garden were also told to undergo compulsory testing by tomorrow as a precaution.

The other case involves a 65-year-old male who arrived in Hong Kong on Oct 28 from Singapore, aboard flight SQ882. He tested negative on arrival and on all four tests conducted during his 14-day quarantine.

On Nov 10 he returned to his residence at Tower 3, Ocean Court in Aberdeen. He then went for another compulsory test on Nov 15 and tested positive for Covid-19 with the L452R mutant strain.

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According to the patient he was fully vaccinated with Moderna in Singapore on Apr 1 and 29. On Oct 14 he tested positive for Covid-19 but negative in a confirmatory test on Oct 26, both in Singapore.

Separately, the CHP reported the case of coronavirus being found on the outer cover of a parcel sent from Inner Mongolia on Nov 7 and reached the recipient in Hong Kong on Nov 13.

The tainted parcel was reportedly ordered through Tao Bao and sent from Inner Mongolia (File)

Media reports said the clothing items in the parcel were ordered through the popular Chinese online marketplace, Tao Bao. Samples taken from the parcels before being shipped out tested positive after they had reached the buyer.

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“In general, the Covid-19 virus cannot survive over a few days under a non-chilled environment, therefore the possibility of the concerned package carrying a transmissible live virus after arriving Hong Kong is relatively low,” said CHP.

But as a precaution, it ordered the recipient to undergo compulsory testing, as well as the operators of the local logistics company that handled the parcel.

Three new confirmed cases were reported today, taking the number of infections in Hong Kong to 12,291.

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Two of the patients originated from Pakistan, but stopped over at two different airports. A 21-year-old man flew in via United Arab Emirates via EK 385, while a 45-year-old man came via Turkey on flight TK083.

The younger man tested positive on arrival, while the other was found infected while at Penny’s Bay quarantine centre. He was moved there after two family members who flew in with him tested positive earlier.

The third case involves a 35-year-old woman who came from Korea on Nov 13 and tested positive while on her third day in quarantine at Kerry Hotel.

CHP also announced that flight AI1314 from India has been suspended for two weeks starting today after one of its passengers on Nov 14 tested positive on arrival test, while one failed to comply with pre-boarding requirements.

The ban will last until Nov 30.

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