The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 6) said that it is following up on five cases tested preliminarily positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The first case involves a 63-year-old male patient living in Pik On House (Block C), Yue On Court, Ap Lei Chau, with no recent travel history. He had a meal in the morning on December 30, 2021 at East Ocean · Lafayette, 15A/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay. During the same period of time, case 12754 also patronised that restaurant. The patient developed sore throat and cough on January 3 and consulted a private doctor on January 4. He tested preliminarily positive on January 5. He received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination (Comirnaty) on July 19 and August 9 in Hong Kong.
The CHP appeals to those who had meals at East Ocean · Lafayette from 8am to 10am on December 30, 2021 to call the CHP's hotlines at 2125 1111 or 2125 1122 as soon as possible to facilitate the CHP's epidemiological investigations and contact tracing. The CHP has classified the staff member of the restaurant as close contacts and will arrange them to undergo quarantine at quarantine centre.
The second case involves a 73-year-old female patient living in Block 3, Phase 1, City Garden, 233 Electric Road, North Point, with no recent travel history. She danced with case 12754 on December 31, 2021 at Causeway Bay Community Centre. She was classified as a close contact of case 12754 and was arranged to undergo quarantine at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre (PBQC) on January 4. She developed headache on January 6 and her test result tested preliminarily positive on the same day. She received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination (CoronaVac) on May 21 and June 18 in Hong Kong.
The third case involves a 67-year-old female patient living in 18-19 Fung Fai Terrace, Happy Valley. She is a housewife and has no recent travel history. She had a meal gathering on January 1 at Wealthy Garden, 6/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay with about 15 friends, of which include case 12806 (a close contact of case 12754). She is asymptomatic and went to Tang Shiu Kin Hospital for test in the morning on January 5. She tested preliminarily positive subsequently and was sent to hospital on January 6. She received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination (CoronaVac) in Hong Kong.
The fourth case involves a 51-year-old female patient living in Mei Sun Building, 4-20 Kau Hui Chik Street, Tai Po who is a foreign domestic helper with no recent travel history. She visited Bethel Fellowship Limited, Unit 1409-1411, 14/F, Block A, Sea View Estate, 2 Watson Road, North Point on January 2 together with case 12805 (whose employer is a close contact of case 12754). She was classified as a close contact of case 12805 and went to a community testing centre for test on January 5 and was arranged to undergo quarantine at the PBQC on the same day. Her test result subsequently tested preliminarily positive. She received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination (Comirnaty) on August 3 and August 24, 2021 in Hong Kong.
The fifth case involves a 49-year-old female patient living in Kam Huen House (Block F), Kam Fung Court, 638 Sai Sha Road, Ma On Shan. She had not visited Moon Palace, but as she was classified as a close contact of a Moon Palace related case 12654, she was arranged to undergo quarantine at the PBQC on January 1 and tested preliminarily positive on January 6. She is asymptomatic and has not received COVID-19 vaccination.
As the aforementioned cases may carry the Omicron mutant strain with higher transmissibility and risk of infection, the Government has made "restriction-testing declaration" tonight for the buildings where the patients resided (Pik On House (Block C), Yue On Court, Ap Lei Chau; Block 3, Phase 1, City Garden, 233 Electric Road, North Point; 18-19 Fung Fai Terrace, Happy Valley; Mei Sun Building, 4-20 Kau Hui Chik Street, Tai Po and Kam Huen House (Block F), Kam Fung Court, 638 Sai Sha Road, Ma On Shan) and persons who resided or worked at the buildings will be subject to increased compulsory testing frequency. The places where they had visited during the incubation periods will also be included in a compulsory testing notice. Specified persons who were present at the relevant venues at specified periods need to undergo compulsory testing on the specified date.
The spokesman for the CHP said, "The Government has remained vigilant and has been closely monitoring the latest scientific data on mutant strains as well as the epidemic situation of various places. The most stringent anti-epidemic measures will be implemented to prevent the mutant strains from spreading in the local community."
​​At the moment, the adverse impact on the epidemic situation caused by the newly emerged mutant strains is not fully known yet, but vaccination is still essential to prevent severe cases and deaths from COVID-19 infection. The Government has launched the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. Members of the public are encouraged to get vaccinated. Details of the programme can be found at the designated website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk). ​​The CHP also urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with exposure to infection risk, to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.
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