Omicron: Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam suspends 13 senior officials who attended coronavirus-hit birthday party, orders probe into their actions
- Carrie Lam suspends 13 from their duties during 21-day quarantine for which they will also have to use their own leave
- Earlier in day, scandal escalates dramatically as authorities order all 170 attendees of birthday party in Wan Chai restaurant to quarantine at Penny’s Bay facility
Earlier on Friday, the scandal escalated dramatically as authorities ordered all 170 attendees to quarantine at the government’s Penny’s Bay facility after a second guest tested positive for Covid-19. They confirmed the first suspected case and identified a second preliminary infection linked to Monday’s party for the 53rd birthday of Witman Hung Wai-man, a local delegate to the national legislature.
The widening public health scandal erupted as experts warned the city was facing an exponential growth in Covid-19 cases sparked by the Omicron cluster, with invisible transmission chains highly likely.
On Friday night, Lam, who a day earlier had expressed “deep disappointment” over the officials, announced that she was starting investigations into the 13 who attended the party, including the police, immigration and anti-graft chiefs.
Chief Executive’s Office director Eric Chan Kwok-ki will investigate the 10 appointees and Independent Commission Against Corruption chief Simon Peh Yun-lu. Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen will oversee the probe into Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu Chak-yee and Director of Immigration Au Ka-wang.