Labour offices in Cheung Sha Wan to shut after CTN issued on 95 places

By The SUN 

Labour Department offices on the 10th floor of the Cheung Sha Wan govt building will be shut

Labour offices located on the 10^th floor of the Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices will suspend services from tomorrow, Jan 24, until further notice after they were put under a compulsory testing notice published today.

A government statement said those affected are the service counters of the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board, the Labour Relations Division (Kowloon West Branch Office), the Employees' Compensation Division, the Occupational Medicine Unit (Kowloon), the Operations Division (Kowloon Region) of the Occupational Safety Service and the Labour Inspection Division.

All those who have booked appointments with these offices will be informed of alternative arrangements.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The CTN covering anyone who stayed at the specified Labour Department offices for more than one hour during between Jan 17 to 21 also covers 94 other premises.

They include a number of restaurants and facilities in Kwai Chung, where about 170 people have so far been detected with Covid-19.

The CTN covering 89 premises was issued after a total of cases of Covid-19 were reported the previous day. Four of these were local cases, three were imported, one non-locally confirmed case wh had stayed in Hong Kong, and 22 preliminary positive cases.

Pindutin para sa detalye

In addition, two pet shops were included in the CTN after environmental samples taken from there tested positive, likely with the Delta variant.

A further four places in Kwai Chung were added after sewage samples taken from there also tested positive for the coronavirus.

The statement urged those covered by the CTN to strictly follow the compulsory testing requirements and undergo the multiple tests on time as required.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The compulsory testing requirement applies even to those who are fully vaccinated.

All those covered are advised to closely monitor their health conditions and seek medical attention and undergo testing even if they have only mild symptoms.

Covered persons must go to any of the mobile specimen collection stations, community testing centres (CTCs) or recognised local medical testing institutions to undergo professional swab sampling in fulfilling the requirements for compulsory testing. Young children may provide a stool specimen for the testing.

Details of the compulsory testing notice are available on the Centre for Health Protection's website via the following link: (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/ctn_20220122.pdf).

Tests done at public hospitals do not comply with the CTN, says the govt

The government will set up mobile specimen collection stations at several locations in Kwai Chung Estate and re-open mobile specimen collection stations at the following locations to provide free services to persons put under a CTN today:

• Open area outside Yuk Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

• Badminton and basketball courts outside Luk Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate
• Badminton and basketball courts outside Chin Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate
• Open area next to Chau Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate
• Volleyball court next to Chun Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate
• Open area/ball court outside Pak Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate
• Open area next to Tsz Kwai House or Yan Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate
• Open area outside Mei Yue House, Shek Yip Mei Estate
• Open area outside Tower 4, Bauhinia Garden, Tseung Kwan O
• Open area outside Block 3, Po Tin Estate, Tuen Mun
• Open area outside Block 2, Tsui Ning Garden, Tuen Mun 

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Separately, the following mobile specimen collection stations will cease operation today to enhance services in the most affected areas: Handball court of Victoria Park, Causeway Bay Community Centre, Pik Long House of Shek Pai Wan Estate, Yue Kwong Road Sports Centre, Wong Chuk Hang Recreation Ground, Cheung Sha Wan Sports Centre, Cheung Sha Wan Playground, Lai Chi Kok Park entrance, Arthur Street Temporary Playground in Yau Ma Tei, Tsuen Nam Road in Tai Wai, Tai Po Community Centre, Kin Sang Community Hall in Tuen Mun and Hong Kwai House of Cheung Hong Estate.

Persons subject to a CTN may choose to undergo testing via the following routes:
1. To visit any of the mobile specimen collection stations (see the list and target groups (if applicable) at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html) for testing;
2. To attend any of the CTCs (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en);
3. To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the DH and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf), and the relevant sample must be taken through combined nasal and throat swabs; or
4. To use a specimen bottle distributed to the relevant specified premises by the CHP (if applicable), and return the specimen bottle with the stool sample collected as per relevant guidelines.

If a person subject to compulsory testing obtains a medical certificate issued by a registered medical practitioner, proving that he or she is unfit to undergo testing using a sample taken through combined nasal and throat swabs because of health reasons, then he or she may choose to undergo testing via the following routes by providing a deep throat saliva sample:
1. To obtain a deep throat saliva specimen collection pack from any of the 120 post offices, vending machines set up at 20 MTR stations or 47 designated general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority and return the specimen to one of the designated specimen collection points (see the distribution points and times, and the specimen collection points and times, at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html);
2. To undergo testing at any of the GOPCs of the Hospital Authority as instructed by a medical professional of the Hospital Authority; or
3. To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the DH and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results.

The statement warned that those who are tested at accident and emergency departments of public hospitals or during hospital stays, or by private laboratories that cannot issue SMS notifications of the test results, are not deemed to have complied with a CTN.

Persons subject to compulsory testing must keep the SMS notifications of their test result and the relevant medical certificate if applicable, so these can be shown to a law enforcement officer as proof of compliance. 

In addition, they should maintain good personal hygiene, wear a mask and avoid going out as much as possible until their test result is out. 

Any enquiries on compulsory testing arrangements may be addressed to the hotline at 6275 6901, which operates daily from 9am to 6pm.  The booking hotlines of the CTCs are available at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en/info.

The government says it will continue to track down possibly infected persons and “seriously verify” if they had complied with testing notices. Any violator may be fined a a fixed penalty of $5,000. 

The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified period. Failure to comply with the order would make the offender liable to a fine of up to $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.

CALL US!

PADALA NA!

140 new Covid-19 cases reported, highest in over a year

By The SUN 

CE Lam, Chief Secretary John Lee and Housing Secretary Frank Chan on site visit in Kwai Chung

Hong Kong health officials have reported 140 Covid-19 cases today, Jan 23, the highest number since the third wave of infections swept across in the city in July 2020.

Of these, 125 were local infections and 15 were imported. The bulk of the cases, or 104 in all, were detected during the lockdowns of several housing blocks in Kwai Chung Estate.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Chief Executive Carrie Lam paid a short inspection visit to the estate late this afternoon, accompanied by Chief Secretary John Lee and Secretary for Housing and Transport Frank Chan.

The city’s top official was seen looking up at the buildings that had been locked down for mass testing, but did not speak to reporters.

Pindutin para sa detalye

At a press conference earlier, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said that the Omicron-fueled outbreak at Kwai Chung Estate had now expanded to 170 cases, with patients coming from seven blocks in the public housing estate.

Most of the cases – either confirmed or preliminary positive with the Covid-19 virus – were from Yat Kwai House and Ying Kwai House, which are both under a five-day lockdown.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Four other buildings were locked down overnight, while the 11 remaining blocks were put under compulsory testing.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said 94 of the cases involved residents and visitors at Yat Kwai House, nine from Ying Kwai House and one from Nga Kwai House.

HK's top health officials report on the 140 new Covid-19 cases

She said that so far, more than 100 preliminary positive cases have been recorded, indicating the outbreak in Kwai Chung Estate is far from over.

Among the Yat Kwai cases was a patient care assistant at Prince of Wales Hospital, whose job entailed her preparing materials inside an operation room.

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

Six patients were listed as her close contact and will be quarantined while another 140 staff at the hospital will have to be tested.

The infected worker met up with another assistant who works in the pediatric intensive care unit at Princess Margaret Hospital at Yat Kwai House on Jan. 16. The second assistant tested positive after the gathering.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Another Yat Kwai resident who works at a Mannings shop in Kwai Hing appears to have infected a colleague. Chuang said an outbreak is suspected at the store.

Also among the confirmed cases was a patient who bought a hamster on Jan 7 from the Mong Kok branch of the Little Boss pet shop chain. The patient tested positive for the Delta variant, which is believed to have been passed on to humans by hamsters in the shop.

Four of the new cases are unlinked, including an 18-year-old female student at Delia Memorial School (Glee Path) in Mei Foo. She lives in Fu Tak House in Tai Wo Hau Estate.

The others were a six-year-old boy who lives in Block A of Coastal Skyline, Tung Chung; a 31-year-old woman who lives in Mei Pak Court in Tai Wai; and a 44-year-old man who works as an elevator maintenance worker at Mitsubishi and lives in Sunshine City in Ma On Shan.

Among the preliminary cases was a patient who bought a hamster on Jan 7 from the Mong Kok branch of Little Boss pet shop chain.

Separately, the Agriculture and Fisheries Conservation Department (AFCD) said a hamster surrendered by its owner tested positive for Covid-19. Everyone in the owner’s household had been sent to a quarantine centre as a result.

The AFCB said it was the 77^th hamster to be turned in by its owner, in line with a directive to surrender all of such pets bought after Dec 22 for tests and a mass cull.

The order was issued after 11 hamsters in the Little Boss shop in Causeway Bay were found to carry the Delta variant.

The department said further tests showed seven more hamsters from the pet shop carried the virus, as well as three from another branch and its warehouse in Tai Po.

Environmental samples taken from various branches of the shop located across Hong Kong also tested positive for the virus.

The AFCD repeated its advice for people to hand in recently bought hamsters, as they could pass on the virus to them if they are similarly infected.

CALL US!

PADALA NA!

Ano ang plano ng mga kandidato sa pagkapangulo para sa mga OFW?

Apat na presidentiables ang nagpahayag ngayon (Jan 22) ng kani-kanilang plano upang mapangalagaan ang mga karapatan ng mga overseas Filipino worker.

Ang apat, na dumalo sa The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews sa GMA Network, ay sina Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Vice President Leni Robredo, Sen. Manny Pacquiao, at Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

Ang tanong ng anchor ng programa na si Jessica Soho ay: "Nasa halos limang libong kaso ng pang-aabuso sa mga OFW ang naitala ng POLO o Philippine Overseas Labor Office noong 2020 sa ibang bansa. Naitala rin ng POLO ang contract violation sa mga OFW na umabot sa mahigit 23,000 noong 2020. Ano po ang dapat gawin para mapangalagaan ang mga karapatan ng mga OFW?"

Ang unang pinasagot ay si Moreno, na nagpahayag: "Ang unang una ay makikipag-ugnayan ako sa mga bansang iyon, sa mga host na bansa. Bakit wala silang ginagawa doon sa mga citizen nila na nang-aabuso sa Pilipino? Because the sauce for the gander is the sauce for the goose. Kung sila ay inaalagaan natin dito bilang mga banyaga, alagaan din nila yung mga kapwa natin Pilipino na nagtatrabaho at nagsisibi sa kanila. Second, we will make sure that we will put good people in our POLO."

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Pangalawang pinasagot si Robredo, na nagsabing: "Pinakauna, ayusin natin yung ating ekonomiya para yung paglalabas para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa , hindi dahil sa necessity pero by choice. Pangalawa, hanapin natin iyung mga lugar na iyon, yung karamihan ng mga OFWs nandoon, siguraduhin natin na pumasok tayo sa bilateral contracts with them para sa proteksyon ng mga manggagawa natin na nandoon. Mahirap na nandoon sila na wala tayong bilateral contracts kasi hindi natin napangangalagaan in the manner na kailangan natin sila pangalagaan. Pangatlo, kailangan ina-upscale natin o nire-retool natin yung mga skills ng ating mga kababayan na lumalabas para yung mga trabaho nila ay yung medyo nakaka-angat, na pupunta sila doon, pupunta sila bilang professionals, pupunta sila bilang opisyal ng barko, pupunta sila dahil mga skilled workers sila. Dapat yung gobyerno yung nagpo-provide ng training na iyon para handa yung ating mga kababayan."

Pindutin para sa detalye

Ito naman ang sagot ni Pacquiao: "Alam nyo po, ito ang pinaka-unang batas na naipasa natin, yung Handbook for OFW, dahil importante po sila na protektahan natin, pangalagaan natin, dahil malaki po ang naiambag nila sa ating bayan. At higit sa lahat, yung handbook po na iyan, kailangan lang ma-implement dahil magkakaroon po sila ng tinatawag natin na pwedeng kontakin pag nagkaroon sila ng problema, hindi lang isa o dalawa, kundi marami."

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

Si Lacson naman ay nagsabi: "Unang una, dapat mawala yung isipang kailangang mangibang bansa para kumita ka ng pera. Dapat nandito yung ating kabuhayan. Dapat nandito sila hangga't maaari. Now that nandiyan na ang situation na talagang helpless naman, at kailangan mag-OFW, mayroon na tayong naipasa, 'di ba, yung department para sa mga OFWs. Again, departamento ito, kailangan lang dito execution, implementasyon. Pag ito'y ay nagkaroon na naman, nahaluan na naman ng kalokohan, wala nang mangyayari. Sayang yung batas na pinasa ng Kongreso patungkol dito. So ang problema, Jessica, more on executiion, more on implementation. Madaling gumawa ng batas, pero ang problema, sa execution doon nagkaka-loko loko, eh."

CONTACT US!

Inimbita ring sumali si dating Sen. Bongbong Marcos pero tumanggi ito. Ayon sa kanyang spokesman, ang dahilan ng pagtanggi ay ang pagiging biased ni Soho.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Sumagot naman agad ang GMA Network, at sinabi na si Soho ay itinanghal na "the most trusted media personality in the Philippines" ng lokal at internasyonal na organisasyon. Siya din daw ay nangangalaga sa motto ng GMA News and Public Affairs na: "Walang Kinikilingan, Walang Pinoprotektahan, Serbisyong Totoo Lamang."

CALL US!

PADALA NA!

Second Kwai Chung block locked down for 5 days

By Daisy CL Mandap 

CE Lam ordered lockdowns on 6 blocks in Kwai Chung Estate, 2 for 5 days

The Hong Kong government has ordered a second building in Kwai Chung Estate to be locked down for five days, imposed a one-day lockdown on four other blocks, and ordered a compulsory testing order for the remaining 11 blocks in the estate.

The moves were announced earlier tonight by Chief Executive Carrie Lam, as it emerged that the number of infections in Yat Kwai House during an overnight lockdown had hit almost 100, with more cases being detected at the nearby Ying Kwai and two more buildings in the estate.

Lam said that the one-day lockdown originally imposed on Ying Kwai and was supposed to end at 7pm today would continue for another four days. 

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

She apologized for the government's inability to provide dinner to residents tonight because of a lack of time, but said all meals will be delivered to them for the next four days, as what was done for those in Yat Kwai.

The overnight lockdown and testing will cover Hiu Kwai House, Chin Kwai House, Yuk Kwai House and Nga Kwai House.

CE said that a few minutes before the press briefing she learned that someone had tested preliminary positive at Chin Kwai House, while one case was also detected at Hiu Kwai House.

While no infections have yet been found in the two other buildings she said they are located close to the other buildings so it was necessary to put all of them under lockdown.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Around 35,000 people living in the estate will be subjected to Covid-19 tests daily as a result of the orders, but Mrs Lam said the government has the capacity to carry out the orders. 

Yesterday, she said 150,000 tests were carried out. This included the tests done on all 2,700 residents of Yat Kwai house.

At Ying Kwai House, the results from the first batch of 940 tests done on residents there yielded between eight and 10 preliminary positive results, said the CE.

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

Asked about the two preliminary positive cases found at nearby Tai Wo Hau Estate, Mrs Lam admitted that there was also a risk of an outbreak there, but said the government will observe the developments there and “will roll out measures as necessary.”

The CE is joined by 4 top officials in announcing the expanded lockdown

Edwin Hui, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, said the outbreak appeared to have been caused by a parttime cleaner who was infected by a man who collected salvageable items from various garbage dumps in the estate.

As the cleaner did not have a permanent assignment, she would have gone to different buildings and floors while collecting garbage. A second cleaner was among those who tested preliminary positive today.

Hui said the virus was found on the lift buttons on the eighth floor of Yat Kwai House and the door handle in the refuse room on the 7^th floor, where only cleaners had access. So, it’s believed there had been both environmental and air transmission in the building.

CONTACT US!

Asked whether the outbreak could have been prevented had the government acted faster, CE Lam said officials had already acted as quickly as possible, and that they are always striving to do their best and improve their performance each time.

She advised all residents of the estate to listen to instructions from the government and those who are not under a lockdown to remain home as much as possible. If they work in high-risk jobs like nurses or those who work in old-age homes, they should not go to work.

She also urged everyone who has not yet received a vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as possible. While noting that 77.7% of eligible Hong Kong people have had at least one dose of a vaccine, she said there is a need for more people to take jabs, especially those who are vulnerable like the elderly and children.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Asked if she intended to keep the government’s zero infection policy despite the rapid spread of the Omicron variant as shown in the Kwai Chung outbreak, Mrs Lam reiterated this did not mean absolute zero infection.

“The important thing is under our strategy, we strengthen our capacity to tackle these episodic outbreaks in order to suppress the spread of the variant as soon as possible so that there will not be a massive community outbreak in Hong Kong,” she said.

The alternative of opening up borders and ending social distancing measures are not advisable as Hong Kong does not possess the pre-requisites for going down that route, she added.

For one thing, she said Hong Kong’s vaccination rate is only 77.55% compared with over 90% for places like the Mainland and Singapore. While Omicron is said to cause less severe illness it does cause fatalities throughout the world, especially among the unvaccinated.

So for now, Hong Kong intends to continue pursuing the strategy it has taken in the past two years of the pandemic. But she promised to continuously review and improve strategies to make life a little less difficult for people in Hong Kong.

CALL US!

PADALA NA!

Health officials say 96 preliminary positive cases found in Yat Kwai house

 By The SUN 

Two buildings in the Kwai Chung estate are currently under lockdown

Health officials have confirmed a mass outbreak of Covid-19 cases at two residential blocks in Kwai Chung Estate, with possibly more cases occurring at the nearby Tai Wo Hau Estate.

At the press briefing held today, Jan 22 by the Centre for Health Protection, it was revealed that a total of 96 cases have been found among residents, visitors and workers at Yat Kwai House alone. More cases were found in the nearby Ying Kwai building.

Both blocks are under a compulsory testing notice issued last night. Yat Kwai's CTN is set to last for five days while Ying Kwai's is supposed to be lifted at 7pm later today.

This raises the total infection toll in the estate to close to 130, as 20 other people, who were either residents, staff or visitors at Yat Kwai had tested positive for Covid-19. The infections are linked to an Omicron carrier who had visited garbage dumps in the estate.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Yesterday, health officials locked down Yat Kwai House in the estate for five days, saying they feared a mass outbreak after 20 Covid-19 cases, either positive or preliminary positive, were found.

According to Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection, 26 confirmed Covid-19 cases were detected as of midnight last night. Ten of them are linked to the Kwai Chung estate, 8 to Yat Kwai House, and two to Ying Kwai.

Since the two buildings are linked to Tai Wo Hau estate with a total of 17 blocks, it is feared a major transmission chain may have spread as there are a few of the new cases were found in the second estate.

Five students of Buddhist Fat Ho Memorial College, all linked to the same Omicron carrier who infected a cleaner at Yat Kwai, also tested positive.

A family member of the teacher at Delia Memorial School who was previously infected by a son of the Omicron carrier, also tested positive.

Pindutin para sa detalye

At about 4am this morning, a lockdown was issued for Ying Kwai, as at least three of the linked cases reported yesterday live there.  The operation is supposed to end at 7pm today.

Among those infected at Ying Kwai was a cleaner at Yat Kwai, who was dubbed by officials as “superspreader” as she appeared to have spread the virus in the estate after picking it up from the infected man who had salvaged items from the garbage collection sites there on Jan. 13.

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

This morning, people living with the infected persons had reportedly been taken away from the two blocks and sent to a quarantine camp.

Staff from the Housing Authority have been delivering hot meals to residents affected by the lockdown while mobile testing centers have been set up around the estate where daily testing has been ordered for Yat Kwai residents.

CONTACT US!

Among those who tested preliminary positive today is a civilian staff of the Hong Kong Police. A statement from the police said the woman last went to work at the personnel services and staff relations branch at the Tsuen Wan government offices on Jan 20. 

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

All officers and staff who had dealings with her will be tested, while those identified as her close contacts will be moved to a quarantine centre.

CALL US!

PADALA NA!

 

Samples taken from 2 more pet shops test positive for Delta

By The SUN

 

Samples taken from I Love Rabbit pet shops in Tai Po and Causeway Bay tested positive for Delta

A compulsory testing notice has been issued for two branches of the I Love Rabbit pet shops where environmental samples have tested positive for Covid-19 with the Delta variant.

This follows reports that the number of people linked to the so-called pet shop cluster had risen to eight as of yesterday.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

A press release issued by the Centre for Health Protection Friday night gave the addresses of the shop’s two branches as 345 Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay and Tai Po Plaza.

According to CHP, as at Jan 21 evening, a total of 738 environmental samples from 40 pet shops and warehouses had been collected. A total of 30 samples tested positive for the virus, including those taken from the two shops.

Pindutin para sa detalye

As a result, all those who had been to the shops between Jan 7 and Jan 18 will have to undergo compulsory testing on indicated dates. Staff will be moved to quarantine centers.

“Based on the results of epidemiological investigation and laboratory findings the CHP possesses at this stage, it could not be ruled out preliminarily that the positive test results of the environmental samples are caused by the pets infected with the virus,” said the statement.

PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS

The pet shop has been linked to at least one of the infected patients in the cluster.

The first infection was detected in a shop assistant at the Little Boss pet shop in Causeway Bay. As the source of her infection could not be traced, and Delta has been overtaken by the Omicron as the dominant variant, tests were conducted on all the animals in the shop on Monday.

The tests showed 11 hamsters there carried the variant, prompting officials to order the mass cull of about 2,000 small animals in the shop and its warehouse in Tai Po. 

CONTACT US!

They also ordered all owners of hamsters bought starting on Dec 22 when the first batch of infected animals arrived in Hong Kong, to hand over their pets to be put down. Many resisted, and an animal rights groups told the owners to give their pets to them instead.

In response, the Animals and Fisheries Conservation Department warned of police prosecution for those who refuse to abide by the order.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

In a surprise move, Chief Executive Carrie Lam joined in the fray, and condemnded people who had sent threatening letters to government health advisers who had endorsed the mass cull.

 

CALL US!

PADALA NA!