Hong Kong’s daily coronavirus tally hits 5, taking infected total to 120
- Two latest patients confirmed as infected are a Tuen Mun couple, both aged 59, who went to Egypt
- Evacuee from Diamond Princess cruise found to still have the virus, but her case is not counted under current local total
Hong Kong’s confirmed Covid-19 cases for Tuesday increased to five after two more infections were revealed, bringing the city’s total to 120, while a woman who was thought to have recovered tested positive again for the disease.
Authorities earlier said a 31-year-old evacuee from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship was first infected on February 18 while aboard, but later appeared to recover in a hospital in Japan.
She tested negative on March 4 and 6 in the country, before returning to Hong Kong on All Nippon Airways flight NH811 on March 7.
On Monday, she was found to be still infected at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam.
At a regular press conference, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable diseases branch under the Centre for Health Protection, said the woman had a chronic illness with a weak immune system, and could have been carrying the virus for a prolonged period.
Her case was not included in the city’s tally because she was recorded under Japan’s count, according to Chuang.