Temple-related cases probe update

March 4, 2020

(To watch the whole press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

 

The Centre for Health Protection today provided an update on its investigation to determine the source of COVID-19 infections at the Fook Wai Ching She temple in North Point.

 

The centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said the centre is in the process of obtaining case number 102’s entire travel history and determining whether they need to contact authorities in the Mainland based on the patient's travel there.

 

“For case number 102, he’s the master of the temple. We are still enquiring about the exact travel history and the address on the Mainland, and whether we have to also contact the Mainland authorities to check whether the places he visited had any outbreaks or related cases. So we are in the process of doing that."

 

Dr Chuang explained that the probe concerning the coronavirus infection cluster at the temple is time consuming because it involves several people.

 

“The whole investigation is still ongoing because there may be other people who have travel history as well. So we need to check one by one, and check whether they have any symptoms or whether the places they visited have any outbreaks or cases. So we’re not sure who is the 'patient zero' at the moment.”

 

Dr Chuang added that the centre was able to acquire case number 102's travel history in the Mainland.

 

“We obtained the information as early as mid-January - it’s from Sichuan, from January 17 to 20. Of course we can obtain earlier information, but we are not sure whether it’s relevant or not.”

 

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

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