13 imported COVID-19 cases found

September 28, 2021

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 13 additional COVID-19 cases, all of which are imported.

 

The patients arrived from Kenya, Italy, Morocco, the US, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines, India and the United Arab Emirates.

 

One of the cases involves a 37-year-old man who lives at Jones Hive in Causeway Bay. He received two doses of the BioNTech vaccine in April and May in Hong Kong and is asymptomatic.

 

He works at 23/F, Lee Garden Three in Causeway Bay and last went to work on September 10.

 

The patient tested negative for COVID-19 in Hong Kong on September 10 and travelled to Italy the next day by flight QR817. He returned to the city on September 26 by flight QR818 and his specimen collected upon arrival at the airport tested positive for the virus.

 

Another case involves a 39-year-old man who lives at Block C, Hankow Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui. He received two doses of the BioNTech vaccine in May in Hong Kong.

 

The patient works at Shop 9, G/F, CFC Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui and last attended work on September 10.

 

He tested negative in Hong Kong on September 9 and travelled to India the following day by flight EK385. He returned to Hong Kong on September 26 by flight EK384 after a short stay in the United Arab Emirates. He developed a sore throat on the same day and his specimen collected upon arrival at the airport tested positive.

 

These two patients both carry the L452R mutant strain, but not the N501Y or E484K mutant genes. As a prudent measure, the places where they resided, worked and visited in Hong Kong during the incubation periods were included in a compulsory testing notice.

 

The centre also received a notification from Macau regarding a non-locally confirmed case involving a 37-year-old woman who is asymptomatic.

 

The woman received two doses of the Sinovac vaccine in March and April in Hong Kong. She travelled to Macau by bus via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge on September 19 and her specimen collected on September 26 in Macau tested positive.

 

She lives at Block 3, The Zenith at 258 Queen's Road East and travelled to the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Croatia and Montenegro from April 9 to July 10. The places where she lived in Hong Kong during the incubation period are subject to compulsory testing.

 

Furthermore, due to outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection or influenza-like illness at 28 schools, compulsory testing is mandated for people linked to the relevant schools or their specified levels. Those who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course, however, will be exempted.

 

The Government also clarified that the specified level of The Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union Logos Academy Primary School (Campus 1) included in the September 27 compulsory testing notice should be DS 2 Level (Primary 4).

 

Meanwhile, as Qatar Airways flight QR818 from Doha on September 26 had four passengers on board confirmed infected with COVID-19 by arrival testing, the Department of Health has prohibited the landing of the airline's passenger flights from Doha from today to October 11.

 

Separately, specified people linked to Hong Kin House, Tsz Hong Estate in Tsz Wan Shan are reminded to undergo testing tomorrow in accordance with the compulsory testing notice.

 

The Government will set up mobile specimen collection stations at Hong Kin House and the podium of Tung Yik Building in Yuen Long tomorrow for people subject to compulsory testing for free.

 

A total of 50 cases were reported in Hong Kong in the past 14 days, all of which are imported.

 

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

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