Covid cases rise to 6,617, a new 4-month high

By The SUN

 

Eastern Hospital, one of those being readied for an expected surge in Covid-19 cases

Health authorities said they are worried about the continuing rise in Covid-19 cases, as they reported an additional 6,617 infections Monday, 237 of them imported.

The latest tally is about 100 more than yesterday, and is the highest since the end of March.

"For four days in a row, the number of local cases has been over 6,000 per day, so it has picked up a rising trend, and this is worrying," said Dr Albert Au of the Centre for Health Protection.

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He called on the public to protect themselves more by wearing tightly fitted masks and to go for vaccination if they have not yet done so, or need to complete their vaccination.

Five related deaths were reported, involving four men and one woman aged between 63 to 96.

Two of them were found infected after outbreaks in care homes, while the three others did not receive the recommended three doses of vaccines.

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The number of Covid patients now receiving treatment at public hospitals has breached the 2,000 mark for the first time since the mass outbreak at the start of the year began to ease.

Dr Larry Lee of the Hospital Authority said 2,100 patients are in various public hospitals, and 11 of them are in intensive care.

In preparation for an expected rise in cases, the government reopened the community isolation facility at AsiaWorld-Expo, with 200 beds and 100 medical staff being stationed there.

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Lee said AWE facility would primarily accept patients who are not seriously ill but need extra care like elderly people who live alone, patients who are transferred from Penny’s Bay quarantine centre because of some complications, and those who are already in stable condition after being admitted to public hospitals.

In a TV interview earlier, Lee said the number of beds allotted in public hospitals would be doubled to 5,000 from the current 2,000 if the cases continue to increase.

Lee said newly admitted patients now average around 300 per day from the previous 250, while those in severe conditions rose from 20 to 43 this month.

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More noticeable is the rise in the number of young people who are being hospitalized. According to Lee, patients aged below 11 rose in number from 60 to 104 in the past two weeks.

As a result, the occupancy rate for both the pediatric isolation wards and regular wards in hospitals is not at 70%, while only 20 percent beds at North Lantau Hospital are unoccupied.

Of the 237 imported cases, 104 were detected at the airport, 23 during the three-day hotel quarantine, and 89 during the medical surveillance on days 4 to 7. There were 21 who tested positive after day 7, but most had high Ct values, indicating they were re-positive cases.

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The infected patients came from 42 countries, and they include the following from where more than 10 cases were detected: India, United Kingdom, Thailand, United States, Philippines, Canada, Singapore, Australia and South Korea.

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Filipina torture claimant pleads guilty to drug trafficking

By Daisy CL Mandap 

The 'ecstacy' tablets that Quijano agreed to accept were found hidden in layers of carton wrappings

A Filipina who was tempted to accept a consignment of about 1.9 kilos of ecstacy for a “friend” more than a year ago in exchange for $5,000, pleaded guilty earlier today at Eastern Court to a charge of drug trafficking.

Maricris Q. Quejada, 38, a torture claimant on recognizance, readily said “yes” when she was asked if she understood the charge against her, and if she admitted the facts of the case that were read out to her.

Convinced that the defendant had admitted the charge against her voluntarily, Magistrate Jason Wan ordered the case transferred to the Court of First Instance for sentencing. He also ordered Quejada remanded in jail until she is sentenced. 

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Drug trafficking is a very serious offence in Hong Kong, for which the maximum penalty is life imprisonment and up to $5 million in fines.

Quejada said in a statement she made to the police that she was contacted by a man called Emeca on WhatsApp earlier in May, saying he got her contact information from a friend.

Emeca later introduced his girlfriend, Megan, to her, and they all met up at the K11 shopping mall in Tsim Sha Tsui, where the pair offered to pay the Filipina $5,000 if she would agree to accept a parcel for a friend called Jack.

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Although she found the offer “suspicious” because the offered pay was too high for what she thought was an easy task, Quejada was tempted to agree to the deal.

What followed were a series of text messages among the three regarding the date and time of delivery, as well as the address.

Quejada was told she should pick up the parcel on May 13^th on behalf of “James” or Jack, whose listed address was the 4^th floor at 69-71 Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui.

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Meanwhile, the air parcel sent by someone called Susana Otangco from Germany arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on May 8. The contents were listed as materials for a “wedding gown.”

Customs officers examined the packet, and found 1,862 grams of tablets containing 531.6 grams of methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a hallucinogenic substance found in the drug  commonly known as “ecstacy”, hidden inside.

The contraband, said to be worth around $310,000, was found concealed between layers of the carton packaging.

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After failing to deliver the drugs to the originally listed address on May 10, customs officers found a re-delivery request made online by the recipient, who asked that the parcel be delivered on May 13 instead to the Granville Road address.

On the indicated date and time, a customs officer posing as a postman went to the address on May 13, and met Quejada, who openly declared, “That’s my parcel!”. She then contacted Megan who affirmed to the postman that Quejada was authorized to accept delivery.

After Quejada signed the airbill, customs officers arrested her. They then made the defendant contact Emeca and Megan, but they were no longer picking up her call. Later, their phones were disconnected.

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The supposed recipient, Jack, initially replied to a text message sent by Quejada with a photo of a shop in a hotel where she was meant to take the parcel. However, he was  apparently tipped off as well so he also dropped all communications with Quejada.

After her arrest, the Filipina told investigators she did not personally know any of the three people involved in the heist, or where they could be contacted.

Customs has always reminded the public to stay alert, and not take part in drug trafficking activities in exchange for money. They must not agree to accept, carry or transact in illicit goods on behalf of others; or to allow others to use their name or home address for receiving mailed packages. Anyone may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

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Filipina DH hangs self over money problems

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

The victim hanged herself with a rope in a Yuen Long village house

A Filipina domestic helper was found hanging inside the toilet of her employer’s village home in Yuen Long last Saturday, police said today, Monday.

A police spokeswoman said the 32-year-old Filipina had left a suicide note which indicated that she was having financial problems. The spokeswoman said they did not find anything suspicious in the case.

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She was the second Filipina DH to have been found dead in her employers’ house on the same day.

The first case involved a 51-year-old Filipina helper who was found unconscious by her employer in their flat in Rose Court, Happy Valley, at 12:07 pm, or less than three hours before the second body was found.  

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She was already lifeless when paramedics arrived at the scene. Police said that in this case, no suicide note was found, and that an investigation will be carried out into the cause of death.

In the later case, the victim’s elderly employer reportedly called the police at about 2:40pm on Saturday to report that she found her helper hanging by a rope inside the toilet of their house on Tai Shue Ha East Road, Yuen Long Village.

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Paramedics who responded to the call declared the victim dead at the scene. It was not clear how long the victim had been dead at the time.

Consulate records show the Filipina, who was from Bataan, was married with one child.  She had been working for her employer for the past six years.

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Her mother and sister who also work in Hong Kong, reported the case to the assistance to nationals section of the Consulate yesterday, and this was later confirmed by the police.

The family reportedly told friends they were not aware that the victim had money problems.

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Consulate staff said they are still awaiting more information from the police so no date has been set for repatriating the remains of the two victims.

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37 Filipinos arrested in two-day police raids on Central alley bars

By Daisy CL Mandap

23 Filipinas were among those arrested in the latest police raid on bars (File)

Police carried out raids on bars in two alleys in Central on Friday and Saturday night, and arrested 42 people, 37 of them Filipinos.

According to information provided by the police on Sunday, among those arrested were four Filipinas and one Indian man, all suspected of operating two unlicensed bars – one on Li Yuen Street West and the other on Li Yuen Street East.

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They were held on suspicion of “unlicensed sale of alcoholic beverages”, “unlicensed possession of alcoholic beverages for sale purposes,” “violating conditions of stay”, and “violation of epidemic prevention regulations.”

The five are said to be aged between 33 to 64, and all hold HK ID cards, but their visa status was not disclosed.

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All of them are still being detained as of Sunday night.

Also among those arrested was a local man who was held on suspicion of possessing dangerous drugs.

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The remaining 36 were all arrested for drinking in unlicensed bars, possessing part 1 poison and violating the gathering restrictions.

They included 19 Filipina women with HKID cards. The rest were all men - 13 were Filipinos, with one of them holding a recognizance paper and the others all HKID card holders;, one Indian, and two locals.

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Each was issued with a fixed penalty ticket of $10,000.

According to the police, the operations were conducted as part of its anti-narcotics campaign in the district.

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HK Covid tally creeps up to 6,513 - with 3 new deaths

By The SUN

 

Covid-19 cases continue to rise, with over 6,000 cases being recorded for 4 straight days

Health officials reported an additional 6,513 Covid-19 cases on Sunday, the highest since late March.

The new cases included 6,276 local cases and 237 that were imported.

There were three related deaths, involving patients who were all men, aged 65 to 81 years old. They all suffered from chronic ailments and were not vaccinated.

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The total death toll from the fifth wave now stands at 9,392.

As of Sunday morning, a total of 1,995 Covid patients were receiving treatment at public hospitals, including 300 who were newly admitted.

There were 203 who had recovered, and 169 of them have been discharged.

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There are now 43 patients in critical condition, of whom 11 are in intensive care. In addition, there are 30 who are in serious condition.

Dr Lau Ka-hin of the Hospital Authority said the reopening of the community isolation facility at AsiaWorld-Expo will go ahead as scheduled tomorrow, with 200 beds ready for occupancy by Covid patients.

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Among the 237 additional imported cases, 114 were detected at the airport, 65 during the three-day hotel quarantine, 49 during the medical surveillance on days four to seven after arrival, and nine afterwards.

Dr Albert Au of the Centre for Health Protection said those who tested positive after the seven-day period all had high Ct values, indicating they were re-positive cases.

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All the infected patients arrived from 44 different countries, and there were more than 10 cases from the following countries: India, 38; United Kingdom, 31; Thailand, 28; United States, 22; the Philippines, 16; Canada, 13; and Singapore, 12.

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Filipino DHs fined $10k for failing to follow testing order appeal for help

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

The notice informing inbound travelers about additional PCR tests after quarantine 

A number of Filipino domestic helpers, many of them first-time workers in Hong Kong, are agonizing over a $10,000 fine recently slapped on them for failing to abide by the mandatory testing order issued to all inbound travelers, as part of the city’s strict  pandemic restrictions.

All are seeking help because they simply do not have the money to pay the hefty fine.

Most, if not all, say they failed to notice the slip of paper given them on their arrival, in which it was said that after leaving their quarantine hotel they should undergo further PCR tests.

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For those who spent seven days in hotel quarantine, they must undergo two more PCR tests, on the 9^th and 12^th day of their arrival.

For those who came after the hotel quarantine period was reduced to three days, the compulsory testing should be made on the 4^th, 6^th and 9^th day of their arrival.

Among those who have found themselves in a tight fix is newcomer J.C. who appealed for help after he was served the fixed penalty ticket by a medical auxiliary team at his employer’s house in Sheung Shui on Jun 13, more than a month since he missed his first CTN.

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But he said he did go for a test as soon as he realized he was meant to do this two and five days after leaving quarantine  

“Late po ako ng five days sa swab test,” he said in a message he sent to ask for help. “First time po kasi ako dito at hindi ko alam puntahan ang center,” he said.

(I was late in taking the swab test for five days. It was because I just arrived here and I didn’t know how to go to the {community testing} center).

Even if he wanted to comply with the order to pay the penalty, J.C. said he didn’t have the money.

The fixed penalty ticket costs more than 2x the monthly salary of a FDH

Indeed, for most FDHs like him who get paid the minimum wage of $4,630 the fixed penalty of $10,000 is too steep a price to pay for negligence, or failure to appreciate the importance of abiding by Hong Kong’s strict anti-pandemic regulations.

Edwina Antonio, case officer of the Mission for Migrant Workers, said at least three other FDWs had asked them for help in getting out of the same problem.

One of the workers has already been issued with court summons after failing to pay the fixed penalty, but Antonio said the Mission has advised him not to worry and to just ask the magistrate to give him a lenient sentence during the hearing.

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From experience, Mission officers know that magistrates tend not to impose the maximum penalty in cases of this nature. But there is also a risk that the penalty could be increased because the law itself allows this.

According to Cap. 599J or the Prevention and Control of Disease, anyone who violates a CTN may be prosecuted and if found guilty, could be fined up to $25,000 and imprisoned for up to six months.

The person could also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified period. Failure to comply could lead to the maximum penalty of $50,000 fine and six months’ imprisonment.

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Given the very severe penalties attached to the offence, Antonio is urging the Consulate to take immediate action - by liaising with government agencies in the Philippines and employment agencies here to ensure Hong Kong-bound workers are adequately informed and warned about the consequences of breaching the mandatory testing regulation.

“Malaking halaga ang nakataya at mababaon lalo sa utang ang mga kababayan natin,” she said. (A big amount is at stake and our workers would end up being enmeshed in more debts).

In reply to her appeal in a chat message, Consul General Raly Tejada promised to relay the concerns to all agencies concerned.

One Filipina who also missed her testing deadlines after leaving quarantine could end up either unscathed, or penalized even more severely.

J.E. did not get a fixed penalty ticket – but a letter informing her she was being issued a compulsory testing order, and to test within a specified period - could bring a bigger worry.

“Nagbakasyon ako noong May 23, tapos bumalik ako sa Hong Kong noong July 3 at lumabas ako ng quarantine noong July 10. Akala ko ok na lahat, hindi ko tiningnan ang mga papeles ko. Pero meron palang swab test ulit, at may penalty pa pala ng $10k,” she said.

“Ang tanong ko, saan ako pwedeng lumapit tungkol sa problema ko?”.

To avert being issued with a penalty ticket, J.E. immediately had herself tested for Covid through PCR – not just once or twice, but thrice.

The testing order given to JE sounds like a reprieve 

But a few days later, she received a “notice of compulsory testing” letter from the government saying that because she did not comply with the post-quarantine testing order, she may be issued with a fixed penalty ticket for $10,000.

However, the letter sounded she was being given a second chance. 

She was told that she was being issued with a compulsory testing order directing her to undergo a swab or PCR test within a specified period. If she failed to comply with the order she could face the heftiest penalty of $50,000 fine and six months’ imprisonment.

J.E. immediately did as she was told and was relieved. But she remains wary, lest she still ends up being asked to pay a hefty sum for her ignorance of the law.

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