bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

quizIds

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

paywallTypes

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Emily Tsang

Nadia Lam

Hong Kong has “stringent measures” in place to prevent the spread of a new Covid-19 variant that could be more vaccine resistant, the health secretary has said.
Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee was being questioned as to why the public had not been alerted to the risk earlier, after three cases of the Mu variant were reported on Friday.
The World Health Organization listed Mu as one of five “variants of interest” earlier in the week. Hong Kong confirmed Mu variant cases in June and July.
On Saturday, the city confirmed one imported infection, taking the total number of cases reported in the past 14 days to 68. All were imported.

“Whether it is a new variant, variant of concern or any Covid-19 virus, we treat it in a very prudent manner,” Chan said on Saturday, adding officials were closely monitoring the situation.
When asked whether the variant could pose a problem locally, Chan said there was “always a risk” because people were returning to the city, but frequent testing had identified cases at the airport and during quarantine.
The flight suspension mechanism had also shielded the city from Covid-19 variants. “But all these stringent border control measures that we have instituted are to mitigate all the risks concerned,” she said, adding that officials would monitor the situation and review measures if necessary.
About 4,500 infections involving the Mu variant, known scientifically as B.1.621, have been reported across the world, with more than half discovered in the United States, according to the University of Hong Kong’s Dr Ho Pak-leung, who uncovered two of the three local cases while examining a government database open to the public.
False vaccine records the new fake IDs for Hong Kong’s Covid clubbers
Two of the patients – a 19-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman – had flown in from Colombia and were confirmed to have the Mu variant in early June, while the other, a 26-year-old woman, arrived from the US, health authorities said on Friday. She was found to be infected on July 24.
Local health authorities had not reported any cases involving the Mu variant until Ho, an infectious diseases specialist, made his discovery public.
The WHO added Mu, first found in Colombia in January, to its “variants of interest” list on Monday. It has also categorised “variants of concern” to prioritise global monitoring and research, with the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta types on the list.
In its latest weekly epidemiological report on Covid-19, the WHO said the Mu variant had a number of mutations that suggested it could be more resistant to vaccines, but stressed further research was needed.
Saturday’s confirmed case took Hong Kong’s overall tally to 12,113, with 212 related deaths.
It involves an asymptomatic 45-year-old domestic helper from the Philippines who travelled on Cebu Pacific flight 5J272 from Manila on Thursday and tested positive on arrival in Hong Kong. She carried the L452R mutation, which is linked to several variants, including the Delta one. She had received two doses of Sinovac vaccine in the Philippines on July 5 and August 2.


Separately, a health expert said guidelines recommending that people who suffered an allergic reaction after the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine should not get a second shot were too conservative and outdated.
Professor Lau Yu-lung, who chairs the government’s scientific committee on vaccine-preventable diseases, said his experience at a vaccination centre showed that many people with an allergy were vaccinated successfully.
Only four people experienced difficulty in breathing or low blood pressure which required immediate intervention by medical staff, he said. The ratio was far lower than cases overseas.
“[Our current guideline] says we need to be cautious about instant allergic reactions to food and medicine. In fact, it is unnecessary, they can receive the jab,” Lau told a radio programme on Saturday.
“I do not mean the guideline at that time was wrong … It’s because we did not have enough experience. But after 7.7 million jabs being administered in six months, I think these guidelines are outdated and we have to update them.”




He suggested the government consider lowering the minimum age for receiving the Sinovac vaccine from 18 years old to 11 or 12, because local research data showed that teenagers experienced similar reactions after receiving that jab or the BioNTech one.
“The findings have reassured that both of the vaccines are safe for our teenagers in this age group … There is absolutely no problem,” Lau said.
“The vaccination rate could be boosted once the Sinovac vaccine is approved for teenagers, as a survey has shown that 30 to 40 per cent of teenagers wish to get the Sinovac jab.”
An employee at Kowloon Hospital died a few days after experiencing acute heart disease following the first jab of the Sinovac vaccine, raising concerns about the government’s push for health care workers to get vaccinated.




Lau said the public did not need to be too worried about cases involving individuals who had received vaccines within 14 days of dying and should wait for follow-ups from the Coroner’s Court and an expert committee monitoring vaccine side effects.
“About 3,000 residents died because of acute heart disease in 2019 … I think the public need not be overly concerned,” he said.
Health authorities revealed they had received reports of 11 deaths in August. Seven had taken Sinovac jabs and the rest the BioNTech vaccine. The Department of Health said no case was potentially linked to vaccination.


Nimbus: the Covid-19 variant that may cause ‘razor blade throat’

US vaccine sceptics are now in charge. That’s bad news for the world

Hong Kong Covid levels ease from recent peak, but set to persist in coming months

New Covid variant may be driving up cases in parts of the world: WHO

Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus: stringent measures protecting Hong Kong from possible Mu variant risk, says health minister

People queue for their coronavirus jabs at Kowloon Bay Sports Centre. Photo: May Tse

Sophia Chan Siu-chee, Secretary for Food and Health, meets the press at the Central Government Offices (CGO) in Tamar. 25AUG20 SCMP / Felix Wong

China not ready to ease strict Covid-19 controls, says senior health official

Around 900 million people in China are now fully vaccinated. Photo: AP

Coronavirus: three cases of new Mu variant found in Hong Kong arrivals, authorities reveal

Passengers arrive at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Felix Wong

Hong Kong will take different approach to President Xi Jinping when it comes to alleviating poverty, finance minister tells mainland China academic

An elderly Hongkonger collects cardboard on the streets of Wong Tai Sin. Photo: Felix Wong

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po is interviewed by the Post at Central Government Offices (CGO) in Tamar. 21JUL21 SCMP / Nora Tam

Coronavirus: another blow for Hong Kong helpers as Cebu Pacific becomes second airline banned since vaccination records deal

Philippine budget airline Cebu Pacific is the latest carrier from the country to have its route from Manila banned for two weeks. Photo: Shutterstock

A view of the quarantine centre at Penny Bay on Lantau Island, located near the Hong Kong Disneyland.     31AUG21.      SCMP / May Tse

News

Hong Kong


Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan questioned as to why public was not alerted to risk of new strain sooner
New case involves asymptomatic domestic helper, 45, from the Philippines who had received two doses of Sinovac vaccine



Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan questioned as to why public wasn’t alerted to risk of new strain sooner; city logs 1 imported case.


Coronavirus Hong Kong

Coronavirus vaccine

Coronavirus pandemic: All stories

Coronavirus: stringent measures protecting Hong Kong from possible Mu variant risk, says health minister

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan questioned as to why public was not alerted to risk of new strain sooner New case involves asymptomatic domestic helper, 45, from the Philippines who had received two doses of Sinovac vaccine

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan questioned as to why public was not alerted to risk of new strain sooner

New case involves asymptomatic domestic helper, 45, from the Philippines who had received two doses of Sinovac vaccine