CHP investigates 18 confirmed and 20 asymptomatic additional SARS-CoV-2 virus cases
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The newly reported cases consist of 34 imported cases, three cases epidemiologically linked with imported case, and one local case. Thirty-five of the cases involved mutant strains, mutation test results of two cases are pending, while the viral load of the remaining case is insufficient for mutation tests. The patients comprise 13 males and 25 females, aged 13 to 72. Among the imported cases, 12 of them arrived in Hong Kong from Group A specified places (high-risk) with enhanced surveillance and 22 from Group A specified places (high-risk). Sixteen patients tested positive during the "test-and-hold" arrangement upon arrival at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre (TSCC) at Hong Kong International Airport and 18 tested positive during quarantine.
Cases 12785, 12786 and 12787 are the three cases epidemiologically linked with imported case. Case 12785 is a case related to Moon Palace. The 13-year-old female patient is the daughter of case 12673 and they had meal together at Moon Palace from around noon to 2pm on December 27. She was arranged to undergo quarantine at Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre (PBQC) on December 31 and tested positive yesterday (January 4) after admission to a hospital. The CHP has announced the case details yesterday (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202201/04/P2022010400686.htm). Cases 12786 and 12787 involve a 57-year-old female patient, who is a housewife and a 16-year-old male patient respectively. They are family members of the earlier imported case 12610 living together. They have no recent travel history. They are asymptomatic and, as close contacts, were arranged to conduct quarantine at PBQC on December 29. Their specimens collected on January 4 tested positive.
Cases 12767 is a local case which involves a 42-year-old male patient living at Block 2, Tsui Ning Garden, Tuen Mun and worked at McLarens Hong Kong Limited, Unit A, 13/F, Lee & Man Commercial Center, 169 Electric Road, North Point. He developed fever and headache on January 2 and consulted a private doctor on January 3. His specimen submitted on the same day tested positive. He has no recent travel history. The Government has made a "restriction-testing declaration" last night for the building where the patient resided. The places where he had visited in Hong Kong during the incubation period have also been included in a compulsory testing notice. Details of the case have been announced yesterday (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202201/04/P2022010400710.htm).
A total of 219 cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus have been reported in the past 14 days (December 22, 2021, to January 4, 2022). Nine of them are epidemiologically linked with imported cases/possibly import-related cases, while the rest are imported cases.
Also, the DH invoked the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to prohibit the landing of passenger flights in Hong Kong from the relevant original port of the following airlines from January 5 to January 18, 2022:
- Passenger flight (AC015) operated by Air Canada arriving in Hong Kong from Toronto, Canada on January 3, 2022 had five passengers who tested positive upon arrival;
- Passenger flight (LH796) operated by Lufthansa German Airlines arriving in Hong Kong from Frankfurt, Germany on January 3, 2022 had six passengers who tested positive upon arrival; and
- Passenger flight (CX845) operated by Cathay Pacific arriving in Hong Kong from New York, the United States on January 4, 2022 had seven passengers who tested positive upon arrival.
Specified persons in relation to the following specified premises are also reminded to undergo compulsory testing in accordance with the CTN tomorrow (January 6):
- Block 1, Kwun Lung Lau, 20 Lung Wah Street, Kennedy Town
- Wing Chak House, Chak On Estate, Chak On Road, Shek Kip Mei
- 135 Tuen Tsz Wai, Tuen Mun
- Block A, Hoi Tao Building, 11 Belcher's Street, Kennedy Town
- Nam Tin Building, 275 King's Road, North Point (excluding the restaurant located on L1 floor and L2 floor of Nam Tin Building)
- Yiu Chung Building, 368-370A Portland Street, Mong Kok
- 56 Repulse Bay Road Block 2, Repulse Bay
- Block 8, Royal Ascot, Sha Tin
The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the reported cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).
The spokesman for the CHP stressed, "The global situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and there is a continuous increase in the number of cases involving mutant strains that carry higher transmissibility, and there are also reports of breakthrough infections in some vaccinated individuals. The CHP strongly urges members of the public to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong, in particular to specified places with high risk under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H)."
Ends/Wednesday, January 5, 2022
Issued at HKT 20:46
Issued at HKT 20:46
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