CHP provides information on three cases tested preliminarily positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 7) provided information on three cases tested preliminarily positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus and "restriction-testing declaration" for relevant residences have been made.
The first case involves a 53-year-old female patient living in Block B, The Crescent, 13 Ho Man Tin Hill Road, Ho Man Tin with no recent travel history. She works at Radio Television Hong Kong. She attended a gathering at Reserva Ibérica Tapas Bar & Restaurant, Shop 10, 1/F, Causeway Centre, 28 Harbour Road, Wan Chai in the evening on January 3. Investigation of the CHP revealed that case 12838 also attended the gathering at about 9.30pm on the same day. The patient is asymptomatic and her specimen collected on January 6 tested preliminarily positive, with a Ct value of 35/36. She received three doses of COVID-19 vaccination (CoronaVac) on March 20, April 24 and December 18, 2021 in Hong Kong.
The second case involves a 39-year-old female patient living in Yuk Sing Building, 1-9 Yuk Sau Street, Happy Valley who is a foreign domestic helper with no recent travel history. She attended Bethel Fellowship Limited, Unit 1409-1411, 14/F, Block A, Sea View Estate, 2 Watson Road, North Point on January 1 and 2, during which case 12805 was also present. She developed cough and runny nose on January 6 and went to a community testing centre for test on the same day. Her test result subsequently tested preliminarily positive. She received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination (Comirnaty) on April 19 and May 12, 2021 in Hong Kong.
The third case involves a 58-year-old female patient living in Lee Shun Building, 157-159 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai. She is a tally worker and has no recent travel history. She developed sore throat and headache on January 6 and attended Ruttonjee Hospital for treatment on January 7. Her test result tested preliminarily positive on the same day. She has not received COVID-19 vaccination and last went to work on January 6. The CHP has so far not found any close contacts between the case and other recent cases tested positive, and is now investigating the places where the patient visited during incubation period in order to ascertain the infection source and to terminate the silent transmission chains in the community.
The Government has made "restriction-testing declaration" tonight for the buildings where the patients resided (Block B, The Crescent, 13 Ho Man Tin Hill Road, Ho Man Tin; Yuk Sing Building, 1-9 Yuk Sau Street, Happy Valley and Lee Shun Building, 157-159 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai) 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.