Filipino workers driven away after getting Covid-19

By Daisy CL Mandap 

One of the workers stuck outside Queen Mary with all her belongings 

Five Filipino domestic workers who tested positive for Covid-19 found themselves stuck outside two public hospitals from last night, after they were turned away from their boarding houses and their employers’ homes.

Two of them waited in the cold outside Queen Mary Hospital after being told at the accident and emergency section that they could not be admitted without a referral from the Centre for Health Protection.

Three others stood in the queue outside the North Lantau Hospital Infection Control Centre, but were also turned away, along with hundreds of other patients who were all clamoring to be admitted.

According to the workers at Queen Mary, they had nowhere to go. One of them had just moved to her new employer’s house on Feb 14 when she tested positive in what was supposed to be a pre-employment test.

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The other is also currently employed but is on a live-out arrangement. The other helpers in her boarding house had reportedly refused to let her back in after finding out that she had tested positive.

Despite being told to wait it out at the tents set up outside the hospital for confirmed patients, the two decided to go to a boarding house which a non-government organization had found for them.

“Two days na po kaming walang maayos ligo at tulog,” said one of them. “Nahiga na nga po ako sa gilid ng kalsada. Imbes na gagaling kami mamamatay kami dahil sa walang ayos na kain at tulog.”

(We haven’t had a proper bath and sleep for two days. I have already slept on the side of a street. Instead of recovering we might die because of a lack of food and sleep).

Their plight was brought to the attention of the Consulate and several migrant support groups by Marites Palma, founder of Social Justice for Migrant Workers.

Exhausted and hungry, the two Filipinas were forced to lay on the cold floor while awaiting help

It was the same story for the three workers who remain stuck outside North Lantau Hospital as of this writing.

According to staff at the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration who undertook the risky task of bringing them food and supplies, the three were staying in a boarding house while waiting for  their flights home when they tested positive.

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They had gone to the airport to take a Covid-19 test as part of the requirements for boarding a flight to the Philippines. When the result turned positive, their boardmates refused to allow them to move back in.

Consul General Raly Tejada said anyone who tests positive should not leave their homes in line with the directive of the Centre for Health Protection.

“We need to make sure our nationals do not leave their homes when they are positive and consistent with current protocols should follow CHP’s instructions,” he said.

“They should also avoid going to the airport to get a Covid test or while awaiting results as they could end up stranded like our nationals in Lantau just now.”

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ConGen Tejada said OWWA was assured by a hospital nurse that the workers were already under the care and responsibility of the hospital. They have also been listed in the hospital system as among those awaiting intervention by the CHP.

Told about the worker who was driven out of her employer’s home, ConGen said the Consulate is pressing the CHP to provide care and help to them while awaiting action on their request for hospital admission.

The Labour Department is also being asked for an assurance that employers do not abandon their Covid-positive workers.

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Under the Labour Ordinance, employers who terminate (including constructive dismissal as in the case of the worker who was driven out of the house) their helper who gets sick are liable to prosecution and to a fine of up to $100,000.

The five workers were, however, apparently only among a few who faced eviction by people they live with after learning they had the coronavirus.

A number of workers have reportedly been calling the OWWA hotline to ask for help because they were being driven out of their boarding houses after they tested positive.

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However, OWWA’s staff have told them that they must stay put in compliance with the government’s directive. If the other people in their lodging houses insist on driving them out, they should call 999 immediately.

Alternatively, they should call the Consulate or OWWA so a settlement could be reached with those trying to force them out.

Covid patients are made to stay inside makeshift tents outside hospitals 

Under the CHP’s guidelines, all Covid-19 positive patients must stay at home and wait for further instructions on when or whether they would be moved to a hospital or isolation facility.

They could also try calling the dedicated hotline, 1836115 or book an appointment with any of seven public clinics providing free medical check-ups. The list of the designated clinics along with their addresses and contact numbers are here: https://gia.info.gov.hk/general/202202/15/P2022021500435_387455_1_1644927493402.pdf

From Friday, Covid patients may also book a free taxi ride in going to the clinics by logging on to www.designatedtaxihk.com from 7am on Feb 18, or call 3693 4770 (8am to 10pm from the same day).

7 clinics open to Covid-19 patients with free taxi service starting Friday

Designated taxicabs will have a mark on the back window to identify it as a service for Covid-19 patients.

The government opened today seven designated clinics that will provide free check-ups to people who have tested positive for Covid-29 as part of efforts to cope with the surge in the number of new cases in Hong Kong.

To complement the clinics’ operation from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm from Monday to Sunday, including public holidays, a free taxi service will be available to ferry Covid-19 patients to and from starting Feb. 18 so that they would not have to take public transportation and be a risk for other passengers.

And if the Covid-positives need information or advice on what to do while awaiting placement in hospitals, or if they want to set appointments at these clinics, they can call a new hotline: 1836 115. The telephone service will operate seven days a week, from 8am to 120 pm.

The designated clinics, which used to operate as clinics for various purposes, are equipped to handle the requirements of Covid-19 patients, according to the Hospital Authority, which operates them  (the designated clinics and medical refill clinics are listed below).

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HA Chief Manager (Patient Safety & Risk Management) Dr Sara Ho said people seeking consultation must make appointments by telephone to avoid queues at the clinics.

“For the designated clinics, they are open for those symptomatic, preliminary positive or positively confirmed cases who are waiting for admission to either hospital or designated isolation facilities. They need to pre-register and book through the telephone, so they can arrive separately.”

Dr Ho outlined specified the patients who will be handled by the clinics.

“If the patients have mild symptoms that can be controlled by paracetamol or cough medicine, then they can monitor their condition and stay at home. But for those patients who have symptoms but do not have medication at home or after a telephone consultation or enquiry still want to see a doctor, the designated clinic is (an option).”

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However, the advice for those who test positive remains the same: Stay at home until the Centre for Health Protection can get them admitted to a public hospital or an isolation facility for those with mild or no symptoms.

The Department of Health added that some of its clinics and service units which are at the same locations as designated clinics will be temporarily closed or adjust services to segregate Covid-19 patients from other users.

The affected units are the Victoria Road Dental Clinic, Robert Black Maternal and Child Health Centre (MCHC), San Po Kong Elderly Health Centre (EHC), Robert Black Methadone Clinic and Shau Kei Wan EHC.

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Meanwhile, the taxi service can be booked, starting Feb. 18, either by telephone or through its website which is being set up.

The Transport and Housing Bureau (THB), together with the taxi industry, have allocated 300 taxicabs to transport patients between the designated clinics and their residences.  The number of taxis will be adjusted according to the actual demand.

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The spokesman said in a press statement, "Patients should visit the designated clinics by designated taxis as far as possible. The Government will provide operators and drivers of the designated fleets with anti-epidemic guidelines. Drivers of the designated fleet must wear protective equipment, including protective face shields (while not driving), masks and protective gowns, and fully disinfect the compartments every day and perform a daily rapid antigen test before providing services. Only those who have tested negative for the virus can provide these services.”

It added: “In order to reduce the infection risks, passengers must use the back seats of the taxis, as the front passenger seat of the taxis will not carry passengers. The designated fleet will only transport those with appointments made with the designated clinics, and will not pick up other passengers. Specific labels will be affixed on the taxi bodies for public identification."

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To book their taxis, patients with appointments at designated clinics can go to the dedicated booking platform (www.designatedtaxihk.com) from 7am on February 18, or call 3693 4770 (8am to 10pm from the same day). They need to provide their name, contact number, appointment time, designated clinic, pick-up location and other information. The drivers of the designated fleet will contact them to confirm and arrange the transport services.

 

HK posts record-high 4,285 confirmed & 7k preliminary cases; 9 deaths

By Daisy CL Mandap 

Record number of cases and deaths marked HK's worst day for Covid-19 (File) 

Hong Kong has posted its worst ever Covid-19 tally today, Feb 16, with 4,285 confirmed cases and 7,000 preliminary positive cases, most of them with the Omicron variant.

Nine deaths were also recorded, including a three-year-old girl with no known illnesses. It is Hong Kong’s worst single-day death toll since the pandemic began more than two days ago.

Hospitals remain full, with thousands of infected people stuck at home or outside hospitals and public clinics, all waiting to be admitted to an isolation facility.

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Among them are at least five Filipino domestic helpers with nowhere to go, and were forced to stay outside Queen Mary Hospital and the North Lantau Hospital while waiting for the authorities to act on their cases.

According to Dr Sara Ho, chief manager of the Hospital Authority, a total of 2,654 patients are being treated at public hospitals and two infection control centres which are operating at full capacity.

Penny’s Bay which serves as an isolation centre for those with mild or no symptom, has about 2,000 patients in its care.

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Media reports say between 10,000 to 12,000 patients are waiting to be placed in hospitals or isolation facilities, but Dr Ho said she did not have the exact figure.

She said the HA is exploring all avenues to find a solution to the shortage of facilities for Covid-positive patients.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced yesterday a plan to convert 3,000 public housing flats and10,000 hotel rooms into isolation facilities, but there is still no word yet on when this could take place.

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Dr Ho said the nine patients who passed away in the past 24 hours were:

1. An 82-year-old female who died at 3:45pm at Caritas Medical Center

2. 100 years old, female, 8:01pm at Tseung Kwan O Hospital

3. 3-year-old gir, 8:37pm, Children’s Hospital

4. 72 years old, male, 10:14pm, Queen Elizabeth Hospital

5. 90 years old, female, 10:17pm at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital

6. 75 years old, female, 11:07pm, United Christian Hospital

7. 97 years old, male, 2:26am,Queen Mary Hospital

8. 97 years old, female, 5:55am, Queen Elizabeth Hospital

9. 37 years old, male, 9:53 am, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital

The deaths raised Hong Kong’s total death toll from Covid-19 in public hospitals to 235.

Dr Ho added 17 other patients are in critical condition, and their ages range from 45 to 91 years old.

Dr Ho urged parents to get their children vaccinated after two young kids died of Covid within days

Of those who tested positive in the last 14 days, she said 17% were aged 17 and below, and 9% of these were aged 6 and below, indicating the vulnerability of young children to the new coronavirus strain.

Asked about the three-year-old girl who is now on record as Hong Kong’s youngest fatality, Dr Ho said her death was confirmed to have died from Covid-19, thus there was no need to refer her case to the coroner.

She added that the girl, who carried the Omicron variant, had no major illnesses, and was not infected at home. She had a younger brother who was not infected.

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She appealed to parents to get their young children vaccinated against Covid-19, given their apparent susceptibility to Omicron. Just last week, a 4-year-old boy who tested preliminary positive for the virus also died shortly after being taken to hospital.

Kids as young as 3 are now allowed to get vaccinated with Sinovac, while a reduced dosage of BioNTech is recommended for those aged 5 and up.

As for the 37-year-old male patient, Dr Ho said he was in a care home and suffered from chronic illnesses.

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She also revealed that the number of hospital staff who have tested positive for Covid-19 has risen to 120, with 20 new close contacts being identified. Twenty patients have also tested preliminary positive, with 100 others being classified as close contacts.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said 20 more residential care homes have had either residents or staff testing positive.

But unlike in the past when residents were moved to an isolation facility after a case was identified, they are now kept at the care home and tested. Only those who test positive are admitted to hospital.

Dr Ho said that even those who had been moved out have been sent back to the care homes, to reduce the chances of infection at the hospitals.

CE says Covid patients to be put in public estates & hotels, but rules out lockdown

By The SUN 

CE says a citywide lockdown is not part of her government's plans

Chief Executive Carrie Lam has unveiled plans to convert three public housing estates in the New Territories into quarantine facilities for Covid-19 patients, as the number of infections continued to mount today, Feb 15.

Speaking ahead of the Excutive Council meeting, CE Lam also said she plans to negotiate with hotel industry representatives on turning up to 10,000 hotel rooms into isolation facilities.

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She made the announcement shortly before health officials revealed that 5,400 preliminary positive patients were waiting to be moved to hospitals or quarantine facilities due to a lack of space.

Despite the continuing surge in infections, the city’s top official dismissed talks of a citywide lockdown.

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“As far as Hong Kong is concerned, we need to find our own way out of this epidemic, and so far, our measures to contain the spread of a disease remain a legitimate and valid one…I would have to say it very clearly that we have no plans for any widespread city lockdown as you have seen in some of the other places,” she said.

Mrs Lam identified the three public housing units to be used for patient quarantine as Blocks 1 and 7 of Queen’s Hill Estate in Fanling, and Heng King House of Lai Kai Estate.

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A total of 3,000 units will be made available in these estates, each of which can house a family with confirmed cases.

Two blocks in Queen's Hill Estate will be turned into a quarantine centre for patients

She said the plan is nothing new, as this was the same thing done two years ago at the start of the pandemic, when Chun Yeung Estate in Fo Tan was temporarily used as a quarantine site.

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In addition, she said she will hold talks with hotel representatives in a bid to secure thousands of rooms, preferably in just one big hotel, for use as quarantine facilities.

“My target is to get them to agree to a plan - it's not an individual negotiation, which has been the modus operandi previously - we approach individual hotels one by one and discuss the terms and conditions with them one by one. That is not efficient anymore,” she said.

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“So we will do a wholesale plan and require them to sign on the plan, so as to deliver a few thousand, up to 10,000 of the rooms within a short period of time,” she said.

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The CE added that although she has the power under Cap599 to compel the hotels to agree to the government plan, she does not want to take that option, as she’d rather work on getting them to cooperate.

Hatol sa Pinoy ipinagpaliban dahil sa Covid

Hahatulan sana sa korte ang Pilipino pero hindi natuloy dahil nagka Covid sya 

Hahatulan na sana kaninang umaga sa Eastern Magistracy ang isang Pilipino sa kasong pagpapatakbo ng isang pasugalan at pagtataglay ng droga, nang mapansing wala siya sa korte.

Tumayo ang abogado ni Archie J. Manlangit, 41, upang sabihin na ayon sa HK Correctional Services kung saan siya ay nakapiit, hindi ito makakarating dahil nag-positibo sa Covid-19.

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Hiningi ng abugado na ipagpaliban ang pagsentensiya sa nasasakdal sa Feb. 21, sa sinang-ayunan naman ni Magistrate Edward Wong Chin-yu.

At dahil hindi siya humiling na palayain kapalit ng piyansa, si Manlangit ay mananatili sa piitan.

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Si Manlangit, na walang trabaho at nakatira sa Lantau, ay isa sa 10 na nahuli sa raid ng police sa isang pasugalan sa Southern Bldg, 257-273 King’s Road, North Point, noong July 29, 2021.

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Kasama ni Manlangit na inaresto ang apat pang Pilipino – sina Elena M. Guardacasa, Rodenda V. Sugatan, Edardo dela Cruz Jr. at RJ Requero --at limang Intsik, pero tanging ang kaso laban sa kanya ang dininig ngayon.

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Ang nagsampa ng reklamo laban sa akusado ay ang District Anti-Triad Section ng HK Police.

Ayon sa report ng pulis na nag-raid sa pasugalan sa North Point, nakita diumano sa poder ni Manlangit ang 0.84 gramo ng shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride), na nakasilid sa dalawang supot na plastic.

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Ito ay labag sa Section 8 (1) (a) at (2) ng Dangerous Drugs Ordinance ng Hong Kong. Ang nakatakdang parusa dito ay multa na pwedeng umabot sa $1 million at pagkakakulong na wedeng tumagal ng 7 taon.

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Dahil itinakda na ang sentensya, ibig sabihin ay inamin ni Manlangit ang sakdal, o napatunayan ito sa isang paglilitis.

Confirmatory test scrapped as HK records 1.6k confirmed and 5.4k preliminary cases

By Daisy CL Mandap 

All hospital isolation wards and beds are full amid a surge in Covid-19 cases

Starting today, Hong Kong will end its two-year practice of conducting a second test to confirm a positive test result for Covid-19 in a bid to clear up the backlog of preliminary positive cases waiting to be confirmed by the government laboratory.

The move comes as the city reported 1,619 confirmed cases, but with around 5,400 preliminary positive cases waiting to be confirmed.

If no confirmatory second test is conducted on the preliminary cases, an unprecedented number of infections could be added to Hong Kong’s total coronavirus tally by tomorrow.

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Speaking at today’s press briefing, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said the government laboratory can only confirm 75% of the cases within 24 hours amid the surge in infections.

As of this afternoon, the laboratory run by the Department of Health still had about 4,000 tests to confirm. The rest of the 5,400 samples that tested positive today have yet to be submitted for confirmation.

Amid the backlog, Chuang said it was decided that “the HA test will not be confirmed anymore.” She added the HA’s testing standards are extremely high and reliable, with no false positive cases being reported.

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That should speed up the processing of requests for hospitalization from the preliminary positive patients who have been told to stay at home for the meantime.

According to Chuang, all of the newly confirmed cases were locally acquired. Twelve carry the Delta mutant strain while 1,598 cases are likely to be Omicron. The test results on the nine remaining cases are still pending.

She also said that Covid-19 outbreaks have been reported in eight more homes for the elderly located in various districts including Sham Shui Po, Tseung Kwan O and Tsuen Wan.

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Sara Ho, chief manager of the Hospital Authority, said around 100 of their staff, including doctors and nurses, have either tested preliminary positive or been confirmed to have the virus. Most of them picked up the infection in the community.

Ho also said 2,482 confirmed patients are receiving treatment in public hospitals while 1,700 others who have mild to no symptoms are under isolation at Penny’s Bay community isolation facility.

Of those in hospital, eight remain in critical condition, including a three-year-old girl who is confined in Children’s Hospital.

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Ho said the utilization rate for hospital beds is beyond 90%, which she described as “the upper limit” of HA’s capacity.

Those isolating at home are told to monitor their health by taking daily temperature readings

To free up bed space for those in the priority list – the elderly, children and those seriously ill – staff have been moving patients around.

Some relief is in sight with seven public clinics being opened from tomorrow to admit confirmed patients with minor symptoms like a slight fever or a cough:

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Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic

Kennedy Town Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic

Robert Black General Out-patient Clinic

Kowloon Bay Health Centre General Out-patient Clinic

South Kwai Chung Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic

Yuen Chau Kok General Out-patient Clinic

Tin Shui Wai (Tin Yip Road) Community Health

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To visit one of these clinics, prior appointment must be made by telephone. The clinics will open everyday, from 9:00am to 1pm and 2pm-5pm.

Ho said that if a patient is deemed well enough following consultation, he or she will be allowed to go home. If not, then the clinic will arrange for the patient to be hospitalized.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said in an earlier briefing that the government is in talks with taxi drivers groups to ensure the patients are able to take a ride in going to the clinics.

Meanwhile those who have been told to remain at home to wait for hospital transfer can call a dedicated hotline- 1836115 – between 8am to 10pm, for consultations on medical-related concerns.

Chief Secretary in quarantine after FDH tests preliminary positive

By The SUN 

CS Lee speaking at a press con last Saturday, Feb 12

The government said in a press release issued today, Jan 15, that Chief Secretary John Lee is undergoing home quarantine after his foreign domestic helper tested preliminary positive for Covid-19.

The statement added the city’s second top official and his family had taken rapid tests which came back negative.

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Lee and his family would reportedly submit deep throat saliva samples to the Department of Health for tests.

Information officers at the Department of Health said they had no information on the nationality of the FDH.

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Lee was last seen in public on Saturday night when he briefed the press about the outcome of a request for help by HKSAR officials from their counterparts in Guangdong and Shenzhen in combating the surge in Covid-19 infections in the city.

Lee who is supposed to attend an online Legislative Countil meeting this afternoon will be represented by Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau.

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Legco's finance committee will take up the government's proposal to inject HK$27 billion into its anti-epidemic fund.