Newly-arrived FDW from Indonesia among 5 new COVID-19 cases

October 24, 2020

Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan, Head of the Communicable Disease Branch for the Centre for Health Protection from the Department of Health. (SCREENSHOT: isd.gov.hk)

A domestic worker from Indonesia tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is among the five new cases Hong Kong health authorities confirmed on Saturday.

The domestic worker flew in on Oct. 23. She is among the four imported cases: the other infections were detected in arrivals from France, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom.

Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Communicable Disease Branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said the lone local case is a 56-year-old male construction manager who works in Manly Commercial Building in Yau Ma Tei.

He felt unwell on Oct. 21 and got tested the next day. He often worked at home or at the office, but Chuang said that on Oct. 10 and 12, he engaged in water repair works with a few colleagues in Quarry Bay.

The manager also went to work during his infection period, and several of his colleagues will be quarantined. Chuang said sample bottles will be given to other co-workers to detect possible silent transmissions.

Less than 10 preliminary COVID-19 positive cases have been detected, and Chuang said among these is a 42-year-old male clerk working in Sheung Wan.

The man lives in Tseung Kwan O. He developed a sore throat on Oct. 20 and got tested the next day.

Saturday’s new infections bring Hong Kong’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 5,290.