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Elizabeth Cheung

A US consulate employee in Hong Kong who tested positive for Covid-19 for the second time after a previous infection six months ago was unlikely to have contracted the virus recently, health authorities said.
The news came a day after the 25-year-old woman’s preliminary result triggered the closure of Washington’s offices in the city.
There was only one imported coronavirus case on Tuesday, with a 56-year-old aircrew member from Russia the city’s lone infection.
The US consulate employee, who came to Hong Kong in March, had been infected six months ago and is classified as an overseas case.


According to health officials, the specimen collected from the asymptomatic consulate staff member on Sunday tested positive, she then tested negative upon admission to hospital, but positive for the antibody.
“Initial investigations of the Centre for Health Protection revealed that the patient had been diagnosed with Covid-19 in the United States in January this year,” a statement read. “After examining the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory findings, this case is compatible with a re-positive case.”
Authorities said the woman had not been vaccinated, and added that officials were following up with US health authorities in an ongoing investigation.
Her case had not been included in the city’s tally of infections, with the confirmed number standing at 11,944, with 212 related deaths.
Hong Kong logs 28-day run of zero Covid-19 infections after case reclassified
The staff member’s positive test triggered the closure of the US consulate building in Central on Tuesday for deep cleaning and disinfection. All scheduled services and visa applications on Tuesday had also been cancelled.
The consulate said the employee in question “does not work in an office that interacts with the public”.
There have been incidents of recovered Covid-19 patients testing positive after being discharged from hospital, both in Hong Kong and overseas, though those people might no longer be infectious.


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Coronavirus pandemic

Coronavirus: US consulate employee tests positive for second time in 6 months, but officials don’t believe it’s a recent infection

The US consulate in Hong Kong was closed on Tuesday after a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment


Staff member previously tested positive in January and her infection has been classified as an overseas case
City confirms just one imported case on Tuesday, that of a 56-year-old aircrew member from Russia



Health officials don’t believe the 25-year-old woman’s test is down to a recent infection. Staff member previously tested positive in January and her infection has been classified as an overseas case.


Coronavirus pandemic: All stories

Coronavirus Hong Kong

Coronavirus US

Coronavirus: US consulate employee tests positive for second time in 6 months, but officials don’t believe it’s a recent infection

Staff member previously tested positive in January and her infection has been classified as an overseas case City confirms just one imported case on Tuesday, that of a 56-year-old aircrew member from Russia

Staff member previously tested positive in January and her infection has been classified as an overseas case

City confirms just one imported case on Tuesday, that of a 56-year-old aircrew member from Russia