Hong Kong police caught up in coronavirus crisis after first officer tests positive and more develop symptoms
- Infected constable attended farewell banquet with 59 other officers, four of whom were sent to hospital with sore throats, runny noses and diarrhoea
- Officer from North Point station lived near Domain Mall in Yau Tong, where woman working at noodle shop was earlier confirmed to have virus
Hong Kong’s embattled police force is caught up in the coronavirus crisis after an officer contracted Covid-19 for the first time and four colleagues who attended a recent banquet with him developed symptoms, while more than 50 others at the gathering were placed under quarantine.
The city had no new confirmed infections to report on Friday, with the total remaining at 69, but the police infection scare prompted health authorities to warn against large social gatherings.
“As there are now more cases and the situation is becoming more complicated, we will ask police to help us with their supercomputer,” Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said.
She was referring to the police force’s Major Incident Investigation and Disaster Support System, which was used during the 2003 Sars epidemic for contact tracing and determining areas of high infection risk.
However, Chuang noted that the city was still not experiencing a community outbreak.
Asked what action was being taken in response to the infection scare, the police force said: “In accordance with the epidemic prevention guidelines and recommendations issued by related government departments ... police officers are reminded to maintain social distance and we will release latest information to them in a timely manner.”