Three new domestic worker arrivals among 12 new COVID-19 cases

Foreign domestic workers in Central.

Hong Kong has confirmed 12 new cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Thursday, after it reported no cases the day prior due to testing delays brought upon by a storm signal No. 8 Tuesday.

Of the 12, eight were imported. A spokesperson from the Department of Health said three of them were domestic workers.

A Filipina domestic worker, 37, tested positive at the airport upon arrival on Oct. 13 via Cathay Pacific flight CX906. The Indonesian domestic worker, 37, took Garuda International flight GA876 on Oct. 14.

Another domestic worker who tested positive hailed from Nepal. She flew in from Kathmandu on Oct. 3, and was under quarantine at the Ramada Hong Kong Grand in Tsim Sha Tsui where she tested positive on the second sample.

Three more returnees from Nepal tested positive for COVID-19. The other two arrivals were from France.

Of the four local COVID-19 cases, two had unknown sources of infection. This included the preliminary positive case from the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, which was reported on Tuesday.

Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said in her regular press briefing that no one has tested positive nor preliminary positive from the musician’s close contacts.

However, at least one or two colleagues of the musician who were with him during his infectious period had left Hong Kong, Chuang said.

The other case with an unknown source of infection is a 73-year-old merchant from Fei Ngo Shan. He was asymptomatic and was only found to be positive for COVID-19 in a pre-surgery test at the Union Hospital.

He frequented the Kowloon Cricket Club but was not there during his infectious period, Chuang said. The merchant had a meal with his wife and at least one other friend in ZUMA in The Landmark, Central.

The CHP distributed bottles to staff and his cricket teammates.

Hong Kong has recorded 5,214 COVID-19 infections to date.