bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Lilian Cheng

Two new local cases of Covid-19 in Hong Kong have sparked fears a new cluster could emerge in the city, medical sources said on Monday.
The male colleague, 30, of a kitchen worker who contracted the coronavirus locally has tested positive, while Monday’s second case involved a 68-year-old man, whose preliminary results showed an infection. It was not immediately clear whether he was linked to the other two.
The 30-year-old man reportedly has a sore throat, and is being treated at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Both he and his 59-year-old colleague, who was confirmed as being infected on Sunday, work at a porridge and noodle shop in Ping Shek Estate, a public housing estate near Kwun Tong.
According to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), the pair met on July 3, and it is believed both cases are linked.
The 59-year-old man also worked part-time at a restaurant in the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal.
According to Kwun Tong district councillor Lai Po-kwai, the public housing unit in Yuk Shek House, Ping Shek Estate, where the 59-year-old man lives has been used as storage and as a staff room for other employees.


CHP on Monday morning gave out bottles to the building’s residents and to people who had visited the work premises, for collection of deep-throat saliva samples to be tested for Covid-19.
For the second case on Monday, the 68-year-old is reported to have a cough and is being treated at United Christian Hospital, in Kwun Tong. Medical sources said his scan showed hazy spots on his lungs.
Authorities also reported 16 other imported infections from Pakistan and India, taking the city’s tally to 1,285, with seven related deaths.
Late on Monday night, medical sources confirmed another five preliminary positive cases that had been transferred from private clinics. It was not immediately clear if these were imported.
Some residents and customers said that those kitchen workers did not wear masks all the time, and the virus could well have been transmitted to other workers and customers
Ho Pak-leung, microbiologist, University of Hong Kong
University of Hong Kong microbiologist Dr Ho Pak-leung said though it was expected that coronavirus patients would emerge from time to time, there was a possibility of a wider outbreak in the latest cases involving restaurant workers.
“Some residents and customers said that those kitchen workers did not wear masks all the time, and the virus could well have been transmitted to other workers and customers,” he said.
He added that current test exemptions, including airline and cruise crews, could also pose a threat of local transmissions.

CHP did not arrange any press conference on Monday, but Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan on Sunday said the government might reinstate stricter social-distancing measures if more locally-transmitted cases emerged.
She said invisible transmission chains had always been around and it was just a matter of whether the authorities were able to find the cases, as well as how serious they were.
Responding to concerns about the virus-infected cooks reportedly not wearing masks at restaurants, Chuang said the chances of customers falling ill were relatively low as the food was cooked and hot, and the infected man worked alone inside the kitchen.
Coronavirus: which employers are among first batch to get subsidies?
Separately, the government revealed a list of 30,000 businesses in the third batch of subsidies for employers as part of the coronavirus relief package, with a property agency emerging as the top beneficiary.
The companies have collected a total of HK$7.7 billion in subsidies for 330,000 employees under the Employment Support Scheme, a bailout package for businesses to tackle the economic downturn triggered by the pandemic.
Among the beneficiaries, Centaline Property Agency took up the largest share with HK$115 million for its 5,612 employees.
Including Centaline Property Agency, 12 companies under the Centaline Group have so far pocketed a total of HK$122 million for their 5,880 employees.
Television Broadcasts Limited was the next in line in the latest batch, pocketing more than HK$85 million for its 3,167 employees.
More than 100 companies got subsidies ranging between a few thousands to HK$100,000 even with zero headcount.
The Post has contacted the Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office for explanations.


Hong Kong right to remain vigilant against Nipah virus spread

Rebound in Hong Kong pupils’ English proficiency is encouraging

Is fear of Covid-19 holding back Hong Kong’s economic recovery?

Next pandemic inevitable, top Hong Kong virologist says, and the world may not be ready

Coronavirus Hong Kong

Coronavirus: two new local cases of Covid-19 spark cluster fears in Hong Kong

Department of Health workers collect deep-throat saliva samples from residents at Hung Yu Mansion, in Cheung Sha Wan. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Workers in protective gear disinfect the streets in and around Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long, where a 59-year-old man living in one of the flats has contracted coronavirus, the first locally-transmitted case of COVID-19 for 21 days since mid-June. 05JUL20 SCMP / Dickson Lee

Coronavirus: pilot’s positive test sparks calls for review of Hong Kong exemptions for aircraft and ship crews

There have been no locally transmitted coronavirus cases since June 13. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Coronavirus: Hong Kong still walking an economic tightrope, commerce minister warns

Measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus in Hong Kong have proved effective so far, commerce chief Edward Yau says. Photo: Winson Wong

Measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus in Hong Kong have proved effective so far, commerce chief Edward Yau says. Photo: Warton Li

Coronavirus: Broadway actor Nick Cordero, who had leg amputated, dead at 41 from Covid-19 complications

Nick Cordero. File photo: AP

Coronavirus: Hong Kong’s three-week streak of zero local infections ends, as authorities consider tightening rules on test exemptions

Workers disinfect a public housing block in Yuen Long where the male patient had previously lived. Photo: Dickson Lee

Haze covers the Victoria Harbour skyline on April 26, 2020, People wear face masks to protect themselves the spreading coronavirus in Tsim Sha Tsui.    26APR20     SCMP / Sam Tsang

epa08191362 The Infectious Disease Centre building stands at Princess Margaret Hospital in Hong Kong, China, 04 February 2020. Hong Kong reported its first death linked to the novel coronavirus after a 39-year-old man has died at Princess Margaret Hospital. EPA-EFE/JEROME FAVRE

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Coronavirus


Medical sources say colleague of kitchen worker who was previously confirmed with infection has tested positive
The 30-year-old man has fever and a cough, while a 68-year-old man who tested preliminary positive has spots on his lungs



Medical sources say colleague of kitchen worker who was previously confirmed with infection has tested positive, while a 68-year-old man who tested preliminary positive has spots on his lungs.
