The Centre for Health Protection today announced it is investigating seven additional cases of COVID-19, taking the number of confirmed cases in Hong Kong to 81.

The first additional case involves a 35-year-old man who lives in Block 3, Grand YOHO, Yuen Long.

He developed fever and cough since February 19 and sought medical attention at the Accident & Emergency Department of Pok Oi Hospital (POH) on February 21. He tested positive for COVID-19 the following day and was admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) for treatment. He is in a stable condition.

The patient had been to his home in Futian, Shenzhen between February 3 and 7. His wife is symptomatic and is in TMH for isolation and treatment while his daughter and sister-in-law are asymptomatic and will be quarantined.

Taxi drivers who drove the patient from his Hong Kong home to POH at around 7pm and from that hospital back to his home at around 9pm on February 21 are urged to call the centre's hotline at 2125 1122.

The second case involves a 57-year-old woman who lives in Phase 1 of Redhill Peninsula in Tai Tam. She developed a sore throat since February 8 and fever on February 10 and sought medical advice at the Hong Kong Sanitorium & Hospital (HKSH) between February 12 and 16. She was admitted to that hospital for treatment on February 16 and 17.

She sought advice at HKSH’s outpatient department on February 23 again and was referred to Ruttonjee Hospital for treatment. Her sample tested positive for COVID-19 and she is in a stable condition.

She travelled to Osaka, Japan, during the incubation period and returned to Hong Kong on January 31. Her husband, second and third sons and her maid, who live with her, are asymptomatic and will be quarantined.

The third case involves a 68-year-old woman with good past health who lives in Majestic Apartments, North Point. She developed a cough on February 19 and saw a private doctor on February 23 and then called the centre’s hotline.

She was taken to Queen Mary Hospital for treatment. Her sample tested positive for COVID-19 and she is in a stable condition. The patient did not travel history during the incubation period. Her husband and domestic helper, who live with her, are asymptomatic and will be quarantined.

Epidemiological investigations revealed that the 57-year-old and 68-year-old patients visited the Fook Wai Ching She temple in North Point in January or February and developed symptoms later. Four COVID-19 patients prior to the cases confirmed today had also been to the temple.

The remaining four cases involve people who were passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise, including a 59-year-old woman, a 58-year-old woman and a male and a female both aged 57. They stayed on the cruise from January 25 to February 21 and returned to Hong Kong by a government-chartered flight on February 22.

Their respiratory samples preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19 and were admitted to Queen Mary Hospital on February 23. Their samples again tested positive for the virus by further testing today. They are all in stable condition.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.