CE reveals plan to further tighten gathering restrictions

By The SUN 

CE Lam says among the measures being considered is to include public transport in the vaccine pass

Chief Executive Carrie Lam has unveiled a series of steps to counter the worsening pandemic situation in Hong Kong, including purchasing more than 10 million rapid antigen testing kits which will be distributed to all residents free of charge.

Speaking at a press conference late this afternoon, the CE said the plan is to allow more people to get tested in the comfort of their homes, without the need to queue up at testing centers.

She said taking the antigen test is voluntary, and no rules will be attached, such as providing a report on the outcome. The kits are expected to arrive as early as next week.

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In the past few days, government officials have been distributing the antigen kits to people in high-risk places, including those where the sewage sample has tested positive for coronavirus.

The CE also revealed that the Executive Council is set to consider stricter social distancing measures when it meets next week, but did not give details, saying policy matters are still subject to deliberation by councilors.

The plan is to further limit the number of people on the streets, after studies showed that far more people continue to go out and gather during the current wave of infections than they did during previous waves.

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CE Lam also said executive councilors are due to discuss the government's proposal to expand the planned "vaccine pass" arrangement to cover more premises, as well as people who use public transport.

"It is controversial for public transport, some people support it and some don't. Law enforcement is also another point to consider," the CE said.

Part of the plan is to use Penny's Bay for isolating Covid-19 patients with little or no symptoms

Another measure being considered is the conversion of Penny’s Bay Quarantine Center into an isolation facility for Covid patients with few or no symptoms.

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However, she said this arrangement will only be implemented when the Covid situation worsens further.

Despite record infections being posted in recent days and the surge in cases with unknown sources, the CE stressed that the government remains committed to pursuing its “dynamic zero-Covid” policy.

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"At the moment, [containment] is still our best policy and strategy for Hong Kong. It has proven to be effective in helping Hong Kong to suppress the previous waves in allowing people to get back to their normal work," Lam said. "Achieving dynamic zero is still our best target."

The chief executive urged Hong Kong people to get vaccinated as soon as possible, saying that's the most effective way to combat the virus.

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Eventually, she said the requirement under the vaccine pass strategy will be tightened  from a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine to include the booster dose.

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Govt employees to work from home again as Covid outbreak turns severe

By The SUN

 

From Feb 4, only drop-in emergency visa applications will be accepted by Immigration

All government employees except those providing essential services will go back to working from home starting Friday, Feb 4 until Feb 11, amid fears of a mass outbreak of Covid-19 infections.

A statement issued Thursday by the Civil Service Bureau said, “Save for those involved in the provision of emergency services and essential public services and in anti-epidemic efforts, other government employees will be arranged to work from home.”

The Bureau called on employers in the private sectors to also allow their staff to work from home in order to cut down on the number of people on the streets and minimize social contacts among them.

The government also said more restrictive social distancing measures may be taken “in light of the deteriorating Covid-19 situation in Hong Kong.”

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As of now, the government says it is working to increase the testing capacity of both public and private laboratories from about 100,000 tests to 200,000 before mid-February.

In addition, it will closely monitor cases and sewage surveillance results so it could order lockdowns and compulsory testing notices as needed.

There will also be further mass distribution of home test kits for Covid-19 to residents in high-risk districts.

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Another measure that will be taken is to adjust isolation and quarantine facilities when necessary to prevent the possible mass outbreak of Covid-19 cases from paralysing the local healthcare system.

The statement noted the three-digit rise in the number of new infections in Hong Kong which started with 115 on Jan 28 and rose slightly to 121 on Feb 3.

Although the overall increase in the infection tally may not be significant, it said the number of cases with unknown sources has risen from six to 31 per day, and has now exceeded 100 overall. At the same time, the number of sewage samples that tested positive has risen from 11 on Jan 28 to 21 on Feb 2.

The government said these indicate that various silent transmission chains are still active in the community, even though the mass outbreak in Kwai Chung district – which totaled more than 400 in a  matter of days, has subsided.

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What is particularly worrying, said the statement, is that the silent transmissions are now spreading to various districts in Hong Kong, and cases have been increasing as a result.

Further, it is not just the high transmissible Omicron variant, especially its BA.2 form, which is giving cause for concern, but also the continuous stream of local cases involving the more lethal Delta strain.

The statement cited the case of an unvaccinated elderly woman found with Delta strain who turned critically ill and had to be moved to intensive case.

“With Hong Kong facing the threat of both mutant strains, the outlook for epidemic development is not optimistic,” said the statement.  

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Since the start of the fifth wave of infections in late December, the government said a series of anti-epidemic measures have been implemented, including the restoration of the most stringent social distancing measures. 

However, people flow within Hong Kong has dropped by just about 20 percent in recent days as compared with the 30-50 per cent decline during the previous waves. And despite repeated warnings, a number of people still engaged in many social activities during the Chinese New Year. 

“The Delta and Omicron mutant strains are spreading in the community at the same time, posing unprecedented threat to Hong Kong. The epidemic situation of the fifth wave may be more severe than that of the previous four waves,” said the statement.

“Members of the public are urged to stay vigilant, wear masks properly and get vaccinated as early as possible in order to greatly reduce the risk of falling seriously ill and death when infected.”

Among the government offices that will cut down on its services in the next week is the Immigration Department, including its foreign domestic helpers section.

A statement from the Department said only drop-in applications for emergency visa extensions will be entertained during this period, and the applicant should provide a local phone number so staff from the relevant departments can contact them afterwards.

For more details on changes to Immigration’s office and service hours, please check this link:

https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202202/03/P2022020300641.htm

 

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HK poised for a record Covid-19 tally

 By Daisy CL Mandap 

Dr Chuang says 'hundreds, even more' cases could be detected soon

As the Lunar New Year holidays came to a close, an infectious disease expert again called on people not to gather, warning that “hundreds, even more” Covid-19 cases could be detected in the next few days because of many silent transmissions going on in the city.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection reported at the daily news briefing that 142 additional Covid-19 cases had been detected, and 31 of these were unlinked local cases, a new record for Hong Kong.

She also said 160 preliminary positive cases had been detected as of 4pm Thursday, indicating that the previous daily record of 164 new infections posted on Jan 27 is likely to be surpassed.

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Most, or 121 of today’s new cases are local cases, and 15 of them carried the Delta strain. The rest were all suspected Omicron cases.

They took Hong Kong’s total Covid-19 tally to 14,013.

Chuang said many of the local cases reported today involved only mild or no symptoms at all, indicating that many infected but asymptomatic patients are going around the city, unknowingly infecting people around them.

The 129 untraceable cases recorded in the past two weeks alone are said to provide proof of the many invisible transmissions going on right now.

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“From overseas experience, because Omicron is highly transmissible, we can expect a high exponential growth of cases,” said Chuang.

“So we are rather concerned that we will be seeing hundreds, even more cases soon, and that will cause a burden on our health care system.”

Asked whether social distancing measures need to be tightened further because of the continuing surge in cases, Chuang said the government is looking at the situation closely and will announce further measures as appropriate.

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She said cases coming from cross-family gatherings have begun to be detected, citing one in Tuen Mun as an example.

“Please stay at home as much as possible and unless necessary, do not go to any large gatherings and engage in too many social activities,” she said.

Of the unlinked cases, two involved the Delta variant. The patients live in Choi Wan Estate and Tai Ping Estate in Sheung Shui.

The unlinked Omicron cases live in the following places: Pacific Palisades and City Garden in North Point, as well as Shatin, Tai Wai, Tai Po, Ma On Shan, Lam Tin, Tsz Hong Estate, Sham Shui Po, Shek Lei Estate, Park Island

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Dr. Chuang said six of those who tested positive are cleaners who work in Science Park, Landmark, Hong Kong Adventist Hospital in Tsuen Wan, Tsz On Court in Tsz Wan Shan and Sun Chui Estate in Tai Wai.

Two staff at Times Café in Chung On Shopping Centre in Ma On Shan and four in Sun Sun Restaurant in Chuang’s London Plaza in Jordan were also among those infected.

4 staff members of Sun Sun restaurant in Jordan were among the new cases

Two others contracted the virus at a fish store in Hung Hom market, which was closed at 6pm Thursday and will remain shut on Friday for disinfection.

At an elderly home in Kwai Chung, a staff member tested positive days after another person there was found infected. The two had no contact with each other. As a result more than 60 residents and staff at the care home will be sent to quarantine.

Two recognizance holders also tested positive but could not be found. Chuang said one of them is due to report soon to an NGO.

Another housing block will be partially evacuated, amid fears of vertical and horizontal transmissions among flats. Residents of  flat 18 on the 6^th and 7^th floor of Bik Shui House, Shui Pin Wai Estate in Yuen Long will be moved to a quarantine center.

Meanwhile, two more passengers on Nepal Air flight RA409 which arrived in Hong Kong on Jan 25 were among 21 imported cases today. They took the total number of infections from the flight to a whopping 82.

Two foreign domestic workers were also on the list. One arrived from Indonesia on Feb 1 and was on her third day of quarantine at Courtyard by Marriott Hotel when she tested positive. The other was locally infected, and lives in Hing Lung Building in Wong Tai Sin.

Three male seafarers who sailed into Hong Kong from Singapore are also among the new cases.

Meanwhile, two flights were suspended for two weeks after a number of their passengers tested positive on arrival in Hong Kong.

Flight TK083 operated by Turkish Airlines arrived in Hong Kong from Istanbul on Feb 1 and six of its passengers were found infected on arrival.

The second is flight AY101 operated by Finnair which arrived on Feb 2. Five of its passengers tested positive on arrival.

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Expert warns worst is yet to come as unlinked cases continue to surge

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

Stanley Plaza was less crowded today as health officials warn people to avoid gathering

Health officials have warned of a further surge in Covid-19 infections in the coming days, as a new record of 30 untraceable cases was posted Wednesday, Feb 2.

Speaking at the daily press conference on coronavirus cases, Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said, “We haven’t yet reached the peak, that’s why we must all be very careful and watch the situation closely.”

Including today’s 30 cases, the total number of infections whose sources have yet to be traced has now reached 129.

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Dr Chuang reported that 116 new Covid-19 cases were recorded in the past 24 hours, and 103 of them were local cases.

Thirteen were imported, including an additional seven cases from the virus-infested Nepal Airlines flight that arrived in Hong Kong on Jan 25. Including the 73 previously detected, a total of 80 passengers have now tested positive from that flight, a record in Hong Kong.

While the Omicron continues to be the dominant variant, more Delta cases continue to be found in Hong Kong, with some of them from unknown sources.

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According to Dr Chuang, 17 patients carried the mutant strains linked to Delta, while 71 are suspected Omicron cases. The 15 others have yet to be determined pending DNA analysis.

Among the Delta carriers is a 77-year-old woman who is the only patient out of 1,220 still receiving treatment in various public hospitals and infection control centers who is in critical condition.

Dr Lau Ka-hin of the Hospital Authority said the woman was in good condition when admitted to Queen Mary Hospital on Jan 24 but her condition has deteriorated since. She suffers from diabetes and has not received any Covid-19 vaccine.

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Dr Lau took the chance to again appeal to everyone, especially the elderly who have not been vaccinated, to go get jabbed immediately “to avoid chances of serious complications.”

Latest figures show the number of people who have received the first dose of a vaccine is now at 5,348,780 or 79.4% of the eligible population (not including children aged 5-11).

Meanwhile of the 103 local cases, 73 were linked to previous cases and come from different parts of Hong Kong, but mostly in Kowloon and the New Territories.

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Among them are three people who took part in a religious ritual on Jan 28 at a mosque on Cheung Fook Building on Apliu Street in Sham Shui Po called the Hazrat Siddique Akbar Society. The place will be put under a compulsory testing notice.

3 people who took part in the religious ceremony at the mosque on Jan 28 tested positive

Another suspected cluster has emerged at the Hong Kong Sports Institute in Shatin where two cases have been confirmed while one is preliminary positive.

The unlinked cases live in Block 5 of Kornhill in Quarry Bay, Third Street in Sai Ying Pun, Cheung Sha Wan, Wong Tai Sin, To Kwa Wan, Lam Tin, Shek Yam Estate, Choi Wan Estate, Tseung Kwan O, Yuen Long, Tuen Mun, Sheung Shui, Sha Tin, Tai Wo and Fanling

·         At least two more housing blocks are being checked for possible transmission in several flats. These are Kwai Foon House in Kwai Fong Estate, Kwai Chung, Hing Ping House in Tai Hing Estate, and Mei Sun Building in Tai Po. Some of the residents in these housing blocks will be moved to a quarantine center as a precaution.

The CHP said that with the higher transmissibility of the Omicron variant, residents must comply with social distancing rules and refrain from participating in large gatherings, particularly religious or those involving cross-family activities.

The full details of today’s confirmed cases are here: https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202202/02/P2022020200520_386799_1_1643808551616.pdf

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Hospitals fast-track discharge of Covid-19 patients

By The SUN

Lau says patients who will be discharged will be carrying a 'dead' virus but will still need to isolate

The Hospital Authority has announced a more relaxed set of discharge criteria for Covid-19 patients amid fears hospitals could soon be overwhelmed by a huge surge in cases after the Lunar New Year holidays.

HA chief manager Dr Lau Ka-hin said at a press conference Wednesday that patients who are found to have a Ct value of 33 and above in three tests will be released.

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However, they will still need to undergo home quarantine for a further 14 days during which they must wear a tracking bracelet and submit themselves to several more tests.

The previous discharge requirement of testing negative twice in 24 hours will remain, while a third criterion Lau mentioned is when the patient tests negative to positive in an antigen test, but the Ct value is over 33.

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He said a study conducted at the University of Hong Kong found that in specimen samples with a Ct value of over 30, it is no longer possible to culture the virus “because it’s all dead.”

Thus, setting the Ct value at 33 is deemed to be safe enough for the patient to go home as he or she will no longer be able to infect family members.

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Lau said between 50 to 60 people currently in hospitals met the new criteria, and would be released starting on Wednesday. This was especially true for those who did not have any symptoms.

Previously, the more stringent discharge rules meant that hospitals were beginning to lose precious space for Covid-19 patients, as the number of new confirmed cases averaged about 120 in the past week, while only around 20 were being discharged.

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On Wednesday, when 116 new cases were reported, only 20 patients could be sent home as of 9am that day.

The case build-up in recent days, coupled with the slow discharge process, led to a total of 1,220 patients being treated at various public hospitals and infection control facilities, when all but one of them were in stable condition.

Experts say elderly people will be hit hard if there is a mass outbreak of cases 

Earlier, the chief executive of the HA warned of a “tsunami” of Covid outbreaks after the Lunar New Year.

Writing on his blog, Dr Tony Ko said the prospect of a major outbreak after the holiday has reached “a dangerous level” judging by the number of infections with unknown sources that have emerged lately.

Ko warned of dire consequences if there was an outbreak among the elderly and children.

He said public hospitals have been preparing for the worst by increasing the number of beds and stepping up training for medical staff who need to take care of the young and the old.

He urged people to stay at home as much as possible during the long holiday instead 

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HK logs highest number of untraceable cases

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

CE Lam visits contract tracing offices in Mong Kok and Kai Tak amis surge in unlinked cases 

Hong Kong has recorded 22 new untraceable cases, the biggest ever in a single day since the Omicron-fueled fifth wave of the coronarivus contagion started. They were among 129 new infections reported by health officials on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said that there are now 98 unlinked cases, suggesting that “there is still quite a number of invisible transmissions going on in the community.”

She did not mention specific cases, but said the patients with unlinked infections live in Sai Ying Pun, Tai Hong Estate, To Kwa Wan, Sham Shui Po, Hunghom, Cheung Sha Wan, Tsuen Wan, Shek Lei II Estate, Shek Yam East Estate, Yuen Long, Shatin, Tuen Mun and Tai Po.

The disclosure came after Chief Executive Carrie Lam visited the government's con

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tact tracing offices in Kai Tak and Mong Kok and thanked staff there for working even during the Lunar New Year holidays.

Around 400 staff work at the two offices, and they have so far traced 31,000 close contacts of confirmed patients who had to be put under quarantine to prevent the virus from spreading further.

2 previously unlinked cases at the airport have been traced to the virus-plagued Nepal Air flight

At least two previously untraceable cases, those involving two airport cleaners, have now been linked through genomic sequencing to a virus-plagued flight from Kathmandu, Nepal that arrived on Jan 25.

The number of infected passengers on the RA 409 flight operated by Nepal Airlines rose to a whopping 73 today, with eight more infections confirmed today.

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Also among the 27 imported cases today are four foreign domestic workers – three females who flew in from Indonesia aboard CX796 on Jan 28, and a male helper who came from the United Arab Emirates via EK384 on Jan. 25.

Another passenger flight from Jakarta, GA876 operated by Garuda Indonesia, was today suspended from flying to Hong Kong after three of its passengers on Jan 30 tested positive on arrival. The suspension will last until Feb 14.

Of the 129 positive cases reported today, 84 have symptoms while 45 are asymptomatic.

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Dr Chuang said more than 90 preliminary positive cases have been reported, indicating the fifth wave of infections is far from over.

Among the 102 local confirmed cases, nine carried the L452R mutant strain of the Delta variant, 81 had the Omicron strains while 12 are either awaiting results or the sample is too little for testing.

Among the Delta carriers are a person who lives in Tai Wo Estate and works in Lam Tin, and another who lives in Yau Tong and works in Chai Wan.

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More vertical transmissions in residential blocks have been detected, necessitating the evacuation of some residents.

These include Tsui Wo House, Tai Wo Estate, Tai Po where residents on the 23^rd and 24^th floor have to be evacuated.

Also affected is Ming Lai House in Choi Wan Estate in Wong Tai Sin where three infections in number 16 units were found. Those living in units 16 and 17 on all floors will have to be evacuated as a result.

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Today’s confirmed cases took Hong Kong’s total Covid-19 tally to 13,829, of which 1,103 are still being treated at infection control centers and public hospitals.

Further details of the cases are here: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202202/01/P2022020100427.htm

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