8 Filipinas, 4 Nigerians arrested in $12-million laundering scam

By Vir B. Lumicao 

Photo of ATM transactions made from an account used for money laundering

Eight Filipina domestic workers, four Nigerian men, a Nepali man and a local woman were arrested last week as Hong Kong police busted a syndicate that laundered $12 million derived from at least 30 online romance scams.

A police spokeswoman said all the suspects have been released on police bail and told to report back in mid-July. She said the investigation was continuing and did not rule out further arrests.

The arrested persons, aged 30 to 53, were arrested for money laundering and conspiracy to defraud, the police said.

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Police disclosed in a press conference yesterday that one of the Nigerians was the mastermind while the three others were core members of the syndicate. One of them is a recognizance holder while the three others are Hong Kong residents.

The Nigerians were arrested in Causeway Bay and Tai Kok Tsui. Several ATM cards owned by some of the helpers were seized from two of them, the police said.

The police seized $1.5 million in cash, phones, ATM, SIM and Octopus cards, and tools for authenticating bank passwords.

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The eight Filipinas, who are all account owners, were manipulated to open 21 bank accounts that the scammers used for laundering $12 million that they fleeced from the romance scam victims, the police said.

The police said the scams took place between January and June, victimizing two local men and 28 women clerks, students, housewives and retirees aged 22 to 64.

The biggest loser was a female victim who claimed she had paid the scammers as much as $2.4 million.

Some Filipinas said they were taken to this bank branch by syndicate runners to open an ATM account

The conmen, introducing themselves as western businessmen, professionals or soldiers, pretended to send expensive gift packages to the victims. A few days later, a purported  delivery staff would call the victims, saying they need to pay several thousand dollars so Customs would release the package.

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The caller gives the account number of a Filipina, who the syndicate has tricked into lending or surrendering her ATM card to them.

“The mastermind then moved the money to the bank account of the syndicate’s company and then multiple local and overseas bank accounts to launder the money,” Commercial Crime Bureau Senior Inspector Tang Kwok-hin was quoted as saying in a report.

Data from the Anti-Deception Coordinating Centre show there were 517 online romance scams in January-April, a 93.6% surge from 267 in the same period last year. The victims were cheated of a total amount of $196 million, up 140% from last year.

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Bureau Chief Superintendent Lam Man-han was quoted as saying online banking and virtual currencies have made it more difficult to detect money laundering.

These virtual bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets are very easy to open. You don’t need face-to-face interaction with the account providers,” Lam said.

“It provides a very convenient and fast method… to do money transactions. It’s very difficult and complicated for us to trace the money.”

The Consulate said so far none of the arrested Filipinas has approached the assistance to nationals section for help or guidance. But previously, a number of Filipina domestic helpers had asked for help after being arrested for their suspected involvement in money laundering transactions.

In these cases, the Filipinas said they were tricked into opening bank accounts by people who offered parttime jobs, then took away their ATM cards, saying these would be used to pay them for their services.

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Filipino DH found hanging in New Territories hut

By Daisy CL Mandap     

Police are still investigating the alleged suicide in Tsiu Keng village, Sheung Shui

A 36-year-old Filipino domestic worker was found hanging inside a hut in Sheung Shui, New Territories Monday morning, police said.

The man, with initials R. F., reportedly lived alone in the hut in Tsiu Keng  village owned by his employer.

According to the police, they received a call at 10:25 am yesterday from a male colleague of the deceased who said the victim had hanged himself with a rope inside the hut.

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Officers who responded to the call took R.F. down. They found no suicide note, so a police spokesperson said they are carrying out an investigation into the cause of death.

An autopsy will also be performed.

A Filipina domestic worker who calls the victim “kuya” said the death came as a surprise because R.F. just had his second dose of the BioNTech vaccine on Saturday and reported feeling weak. Thus, it was improbable that he found the strength to hang himself.

“Nanghihina na at masama na ang pakiramdam,” said the Filipina helper, who also said the hut was just one of several houses owned by R.F.’s employer. “Tapos di na siya ma contact.”

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(He was feeling so weak and unwell then. He couldn’t be contacted anymore after that).

The Filipina said she wished someone had taken a video footage of the victim while he was hanging to help with the investigation.

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“O kaya picture pagbukas pa lang ng pintuan,” she said (Or they could have at least taken a picture as soon as they opened the door to the hut).

R.F. who was married and hailed from Pangasinan, was said to have worked in Hong Kong for only three years. He worked in his employer’s leisure farm planted with various fruits and vegetables.

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His family reportedly finds it hard to accept that R.F. would have killed himself, so they are looking forward to the result of the police investigation, and the autopsy that will be carried out both in Hong Kong and the Philippines.

 

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HK lowers quarantine to 7 days for vaccinated travelers with antibodies

By Daisy CL Mandap 

The new 7-day quarantine period will not apply to travelers from 'very high risk' to 'extremely high risk' places

Hong Kong is set to start allowing incoming travelers to spend only seven days in hotel quarantine if (1) they are fully vaccinated; (2) test negative for Covid-19 on arrival test, and (3) test positive for an antibodies test, also to be given at the airport (unless they are residents who should take the test before departure). 

But this rule, which is set to start on Jun 30, will not apply to travelers arriving from “very high-risk” countries which currently include only Ireland and Indonesia, who will still have to observe 21-day hotel quarantine.

For passengers in countries designated as “extremely high risk” like the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Nepal, South Africa and Brazil, a flight ban to Hong Kong will remain enforced.

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The shortened quarantine requirement was announced at a press conference earlier today, Jun 21, by Chief Executive Carrie Lam, who also disclosed a raft of relaxed gathering measures, particularly for indoor activities like wedding banquets and religious services.

However, she still ruled out allowing more than four people to gather in public.

The CE cited Hong Kong’s record of no new local infections being detected in the past 14 days as the reason for the relaxation of restrictions.

CE Lam says it's time HK reopened its borders with places in similar situation

“Given that the Hong Kong situation is relatively stable, I think…it’s time for us to appropriately reopen our borders, in particular, to places where the situation is similar to ours,” said CE Lam.

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Controller of the Centre for Health Protection Dr Ronald Lam announced that three imported cases were detected as of midnight last night, involving two travelers from the United Kingdom and one from Indonesia.

All three passengers were found to carry the L452R variant of the coronavirus, which Lam noted, appears to be spreading quickly to many parts of the world.

Dr Lam said that in the past 14 days a total of 27 imported infections were recorded, and 17 of the patients were found to carry the mutated virus. Eight had the N501Y variant, and nine had the L542R, which recently caused a spike in infections in California.

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In announcing the more relaxed entry rules for travelers from category B (high-risk countries like the United States, United Kingdom and Japan), the Chief Executive cited Europe’s similar move recently. She mentioned France in particular, as requiring no more than full vaccination for people entering the country.

For Hong Kong residents who plan to go abroad, she said they can start making appointments at a private clinic and test for antibodies so they would have already fulfilled one of the requirements for the shortened quarantine.

Test results obtained in Hong Kong will be effective for three months, which means those who get a positive result now can immediately qualify for the 7-day quarantine on their return as long as they were not away for a longer period.

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In the second phase of the implementation, she said vaccinated travelers from other countries will be asked to give a blood sample on their arrival which will be used to check for antibodies. They will also be tested for Covid-19 and if the result is negative, they will be allowed to proceed to their hotel for quarantine.

During quarantine, the traveler will be given the result of the antibodies test. A positive result will cut short the visitor’s quarantine period to seven days.

All travelers, whether vaccinated or not, will still be subjected to multiple nucleic acid tests after arrival to avoid missing any cases.

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In a separate press release, the CHP said the government also plans to allow non-Hong Kong residents who have been vaccinated and have only stayed in Groups B (high risk) C (medium risk) or Taiwan, to enter Hong Kong. 

For the full list of country designations, please check this link: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html

Currently, the only non-residents allowed to enter Hong Kong are those coming from Group D specified places (Australia and New Zealand).

The CE also said her government is still studying what to do with families that arrive with children and elderly people who are not eligible or suitable to be vaccinated.

For details of the new entry and quarantine requirements for people arriving in Hong Kong, please click this link: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202106/21/P2021062100692.htm

As for the new gathering restrictions that take effect Thursday, the following new measures were among those announced:

• Restaurants will be allowed to hold banquets for up to 180 people
• For bars and clubs, up to four people may now sit together as long as all staff and customers have had at least one jab
• Up to eight people may now sit together in a karaoke room if they have taken at least one dose of the vaccine
• Private and public swimming pools can operate at up to 50% capacity if the staff are fully vaccinated
• If members and staff of a gym are fully vaccinated they will no longer be required to wear masks
• Religious gatherings, weddings and business meetings can be held at the venue’s full capacity if at least two-thirds of attendees have been vaccinated
• There will be no changes in rules for public bath houses and cinemas

The full details are here: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202106/22/P2021062101063.htm

CHP's Dr Lam urges more elderly people to get vaccinated

CHP’s Dr Lam expressed concern about the low vaccination rates of people aged 80 years old and above. He said only 4.6% of those in this age group have had a dose of a vaccine, while only 3.5% have had two doses.

He said there is a misunderstanding that elderly people or those with chronic illnesses should not be vaccinated. If they have taken the flu shot previously, they should not have any problems with a Covid vaccine.

Lam pointed out that of the 210 deaths attributed to Covid-19, 88% were patients aged 65 and above.

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Indian, Filipina variant patients plead guilty to misleading officials

 By The SUN

The court ordered Rizvi and Guadiz detained anew before their sentencing on Jul 5

The Indian man behind a cluster outbreak of the South African variant of the coronavirus variant pleaded guilty today, Jun 21, to six counts of giving false information to an officer, while his Filipina girlfriend admitted one count of the same charge.

Syed Mohamed Rizvi, 30, and Victoria Marie A. Guadiz, 31, made the admissions when they appeared before Kowloon City Magistrate Ada Yim.

Calling their offences “serious,” the magistrate ordered the two, who were both out on bail, returned to custody pending their sentencing on Jul 5.

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Rizvi, who arrived in Hong Kong from Dubai in March, was found to be infected after he had completed his hotel quarantine and went about in the city.

He lived with Guadiz, who worked as a nursing staff in a clinic, in her rented flat on the 10^th floor of Parkes Building on 17-23 Parkes St in Yaumatei.

The prosecutor said the two hid the fact that they attended a family gathering at Hing Wah Estate in Chai Wan on Apr 13, leading to the spread of the virus to nine other people. These included four family members of Guadiz, three Filipina domestic helpers, and the employer and baby ward of one of them.

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Because of their lies, over a thousand people had to be quarantined amid initial fears that a silent transmission of the variant had been going on across Hong Kong. All FDHs in the city were also ordered to undergo testing for Covid-19.

In mitigation, the defence said Rizvi hid his whereabouts because he didn’t want his family to be questioned by health officials, and as a tourist, he was unsure where he had been.

Guadiz, on the other hand, expressed regret over her action, saying she understood the huge impact the incident had caused to society. She apologized to the public, and asked that she be given a non-custodial sentence.

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Rizvi was charged with six counts of lying to Immigration officers and a nurse about his movements between Apr 10 and 13 while Guadiz faces a charge of lying to a nurse on Apr 17 about knowing her boyfriend.

Court records show that on Apr 15, Rizvi took a Covid-19 test because he was returning soon to Dubai. He was confirmed positive the next day.  Guadiz also took the test on Apr 17 and was found positive on the same day.

They were both taken to the Lantau North Infection Centre’s Ward A1 and B1, where they were the only persons in their respective wards. A tablet was assigned to each ward for communicating with them.

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It was during his stay in Ward A1 that Rizvi lied to officers conducting contact-tracing. The particulars of the charges against the two are:

Rizvi being taken to court on the first day of hearing (SCMP photo)

Offense 1: At 11:20am on Apr 16, he told female nurse Lam Ka-fung that he could not remember his itineraries between Apr 10-12. He also said he was alone in Jordan and Tsim Sha Tsui and did not visit any restaurants there on those days.

Offense 2: Guadiz initially denied knowing Rizvi when registered nurse Tang Lai-ching first asked about this during a call made through the tablet in her ward. But after Tang sent her Rizvi’s name on Whatsapp Guadiz admitted she knew him and said they went together to Cheung Chau.

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However, after Tang told her Rizvi was positive for the N501Y coronavirus variant, Guadiz immediately denied she knew him and hung up. The nurse later found out that Guadiz had erased the history of their WhatsApp chat.

At the time, Rizvi was also being investigated by Immigration officer Phoebe Wong from the contact tracing team in a video call on the tablet in Ward 1A.

Offense 3: Rizvi denied having any contact with any person on those days.

Offense 4: During epidemiological investigation, the defendant claimed that on Apr 10, he stayed in Guadiz’s flat the whole day.

Offense 5: He also said he went to buy food in a supermarket near his partner’s home on the morning of Apr 11.

Offense 6: At about 5pm on Apr 11, he bought a cake at a shop in Tsimshatsui.

Offense 7: Lastly, he maintained staying in Guadiz’s home and did not attend any gathering with others on Apr 13.

On May 4, Immigration officers Leung Hui-fung and Ho Tsz-ching from the contact tracing team interviewed Rizvi and Guadiz separately.

More than 1,000 people had to be tested in Tung Chung amid fears of a silent transmission of the variant

Guadiz, interviewed by Ho, initially said she could not recall her movements in April. But after Ho found a transaction record at Zaks on her credit card on Apr 11, the Filipina said she attended a gathering at Tong Fuk Village on Apr 10 and dined at Zaks in Discovery Bay on Apr 11. Ho passed the information immediately to Leung.

When told his partner had confessed, Rizvi asked: “Did Victoria tell you everything?” The officer said “yes.” Rizvi replied: “From now on, everything I tell is true.”

The Indian then disclosed he had visited Citygate, Novotel, and Tong Fuk Village with Guadiz on Apr 10. They stayed in Novotel for a night before they went to Zaks.

The couple then dined with Guadiz’s family members in Chai Wan on Apr 13. Three guests in that gathering held another party in a Sham Shui Po flat where three Filipina helpers who lived in three different places, attended and got infected.

Suspecting that they had given false information, investigators passed on the case to the police who arrested the couple at 12:38pm on May 8 on Austin Road, Jordan.

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Filipina domestic worker launches book of poems

By Vir B. Lumicao 

Ailenemae Ramos reads a poem from her newly published book, 'Beyond the Sunset'

Filipina domestic worker Ailenemae Ramos launched her collection of poems, “Beyond the Sunset,” on Sunday, Jun 20, at the University of Hong Kong, marking the revival of literary writing by overseas Filipino workers in the city.

The volume, which contains 105 poems written by Ramos since she came to work in Hong Kong in July 2010, embodies her reflections about sadness, anxiety, hope, love and self-confidence which she admits are a tale of her life experiences.

“Beyond the Sunset” is the first published work of a member of Migrant Writers of Hong Kong, a Facebook-based group that was founded by Ramos, Maria Nemy Lou Rocio and Liezel Fernandez Marcos on Mar 30.

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The group has attracted 158 members from Hong Kong and overseas in barely three months and has revived interest in poetry by providing aspiring Filipino domestic worker poets a platform for their literary creation.

The book is the first poetry collection of Ramos and is one of a few books written and published by an individual Filipina helper-poet.

Last year, another Filipina former domestic worker, Rolinda Onates-Espanola, who helped found the group Migrant Writers of Singapore, also published her own book of poems called “No Cinderella.”

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And much earlier, Analyn Aryo, a former Filipina helper in Hong Kong who is now based in Canada, published a collection of essays, poems and vignettes on the challenges and hard life of Filipina migrant workers abroad. Her book, “Nanny Tales,” has just been released online by Amazon.

The author says her new book is all about hope

Ramos, a mother of a 16-year-old “young lady” and a 15-year-old “young man” says she wants to emphasize hope in her book.

“I grew up with hope in my heart that my mother is watching me beyond each sunset. Many times I found myself crying and talking in the dusk as if it was alive and I asked for guidance,” the poet says in her introduction.

Having lost her mother when she was just two years old, Ramos says she knows that her mom is just nearby watching her, quietly guiding her as she navigates the sea of challenges in life.

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The book launching was co-hosted by the MWHK, Share HK and HKU Sociology Department, which provided the venue, a conference hall in the Jockey Club Tower for the event that was attended by about 30 people.

Consul Robert Quintin, guest speaker at the launching, praised the author and her fellow domestic helper-writers who, despite the challenges of their daily chores, have turned their free time into opportunities to write and gain recognition.

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The event also featured a reading of six selected poems in the book by Domestic Workers Corner founder Rodelia Pedro Villar and Ramos’ fellow writers Chalyn Brioso, Maureen Esperidion, Veronica Pingol, Janet Roe Licudo and Margie Belardo.

Ramos herself read the second piece in her collection, “I Am Woman,” while her co-founder Rocio declaimed a special migration poem.

The Migrant Writers of HK with HKU's Dr Ham (leftmost  and Consul Bob Quintin

After the book-signing, Ramos said in a brief conversation that her interest in writing started by religiously making daily entries in her diary when she was young.

When she came to Hong Kong, she found time to write during her rest hours, normally late at night. During the pandemic, she would rather stay in her room and write some poems or hold online poetry reading sessions with Migrant Writers members here and in Singapore.                                                                                                              

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Ramos said she and others in the group were initially members of the Arts in Me Facebook group founded by the Migrant Writers of Singapore.

“We are inspired to create a platform in Hong Kong and Maria Nemy Lou Rocio and I are continuously asking for guidance and support from Dr Julie Ham of the Department of Sociology in HKU to fulfill our mission/vision for every talented domestic helper,” said Ramos.

Ham, who for long has been supporting and helping the foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong improve themselves, said the writers group is a new activity that helps lift the image of the migrant domestic workers.

She said her department is preparing an online exhibition of the works of the migrant writers and artists shortly. This will be followed by writing workshops for the migrant writers this summer in cooperation with the HKU Department of Comparative Literature.   

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Lucky draws help boost vaccination rate, now at 3.2 million

By Daisy CL Mandap 

HK has pulled out all stops to reach a 70% vaccination rate by end of August 

A total of 3,220,600 Hong Kong residents have received either their first or both shots of a Covid-19 vaccine, latest statistics show. That’s just slightly less than half of the 6.5 million residents qualified to take the shots, or those aged 12 and above.

According to figures published late Sunday by the Centre for Health Protection, the latest tally is broken down into 1,761,600 people (27%) having had at least one dose of a vaccine, while 1,203,200 (18.5%) had completed the inoculation process by having two doses.

With the daily uptake at a high 97% to 98% and daily inoculations averaging more than 40,000 in the past week, Hong Kong may yet achieve its target of vaccinating at least 70% of all its qualified residents by end of August, to attain so-called herd immunity.

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Hong Kong has set that date as target because it plans to close all its community vaccination centers by then, leaving only public hospitals and some accredited private doctors to dispense the jabs. This is also when a big number of the 15 million doses it has procured for its vaccination drive are due to expire.

Officials have pulled out all stops to boost the vaccination rate before then. Apart from providing on-site inoculations at some big companies, they have also arranged with some groups to get vaccinated together.

The latest of such activities was led by Health Secretary Sophia Chan, who witnessed the group vaccination of over 60 ethnic minority residents when she visited the community vaccination centre at the Education Bureau offices in Kowloon Tong on Jun 20.

Chan thanks ethnic minority residents who joined the group jab

Chan praised those who took part in the exercise, saying they “not only protect themselves and their family members by getting vaccinated against Covid-19, but also contribute to the epidemic prevention and control work in Hong Kong.”

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But what appears as the government’s most effective way of waging the vaccination drive was its appeal to business groups to help by offering incentives to those who are able to complete two doses before Sept 1.

Businesses responded in a big way, offering huge prizes in lucky draws where the main criterion is that participants should be Hong Kong residents who have been fully inoculated by the target date.

The launch of the biggest such lotteries on Jun 16 where the grand prize is a $10.8 million flat appears to have pushed the right button, when 30,600 people booked appointments for their first jab. The day before, a record 32,700 residents made their bookings.

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Another mega draw sponsored by the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce the next day, where the top prizes are three brand new Mercedes Benz C class cars, appears to have led to another vaccination frenzy.

Although the number of bookings dipped slightly to 26,600 on Jun 18, the total number of people who had their jabs rose to a near-record daily high of 50,200.

The next day, Jun 19, a Saturday, saw a record rise in the number of vaccinations, at 51,500. The number of bookings was down slightly at 23,000. 

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On Sunday, the number of bookings dropped slightly to 22,000 but still high enough to assure officials Hong Kong might be on track to hit their target of having about 4.5 million of its residents to have been vaccinated, with just 71 days to go.

If the new bookings remain steady at around 25,000 a day,  that would mean an extra 1.8 million people having been jabbed by the end of August. Combined with the current overall figure of 3.2 million, this would result in about 5 million, or 77%, of all qualified residents being inoculated.

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Business group says inoculation only way for HK to recover from economic slump

By The SUN

HK must reopen its borders to recover from its $600 billion losses, the HK Chamber says

Hong Kong people were urged today, Jun 20, by the city’s largest business group to get their Covid-19 jabs so the city can reopen its borders and help the local economy rebound from $600 billion in losses it suffered due to the pandemic.

George Leung, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce chief executive, said in a radio program that the SAR is a small city with an externally oriented economy such that resuming cross-border travel is “the most important factor” for economic revival.

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But Leung said this is only possible if enough people are vaccinated against Covid-19.

He made his remarks as health officials confirmed only one imported coronavirus case today, the 15^th straight day that there were no local infections.

The sole imported case was a 36-year-old male flight crew who arrived from Russia on Saturday. Staff from the Centre for Health Protection said he did not have symptoms and was found to be carrying the L45R mutated strain of the coronavirus associated with a variant that has recently caused massive outbreaks in California.

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He took the city’s total Covid-19 tally to 11,886 with 210 related deaths.

Vaccination is the only way forward, says the business group

The HKGCC executive spoke on a local radio station after his group unveiled last week a lottery that offered more than HK$30 million in prizes for residents who have had two vaccine doses.

He said it is a win-win move for the business sector to launch lotteries to encourage people to get inoculated, as the jabs can help citizens resume some social activities that will help boost the economy.

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“According to the International Monetary Fund’s estimate, Hong Kong has already lost around $600 billion due to the pandemic, this is a pretty big number,” said Leung.

He said Hong Kong needs to resume travel with other countries to help the economy recover. “We cannot rely on fiscal reserves to support the economy, this is the only feasible way now,” he said. 

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Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung was reported by local newspapers as saying authorities will review whether there is room to relax social distancing measures when the current restrictions expire this Wednesday.

Cheung said three factors will be considered – development of the outbreak, vaccination rates and implementation of “vaccine bubble” at restaurants and premises. 

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