(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)
The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating one additional local COVID-19 case with an unknown infection source involving the L452R mutant strain.
The Government yesterday announced that the 50-year-old male patient tested preliminary positive for the virus and made a restriction-testing declaration for 1-3 Kam Fung Street in Wong Tai Sin where he lives. It carried out a compulsory testing operation there on the same night and found no confirmed cases.
The patient concerned is a porter at the Hong Kong International Airport and mainly performs duties at the apron. Having undergone compulsory testing required by the Government earlier in relation to the workplace of case number 11902, his sample on July 9 tested positive for COVID-19.
Both cases carry the L452R mutant strain, but are not directly linked, said the centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan at a press briefing this afternoon.
She noted that genetic sequencing is needed to determine whether today’s confirmed case is linked to previous cases.
“We are concerned whether there is any existence of silent transmission in the airport,” she explained.
Dr Chuang emphasised that since airport workers are at a higher risk of infecting others with COVID-19 through direct or indirect contact with imported cases, they are required to undergo virus testing according to the Government’s compulsory testing notice.
“Of course we will urge all of them to get vaccinated as soon as possible, but in the meantime they should still get tested.”
Separately, specified people in relation to Wan Hang House, Wan Tau Tong Estate in Tai Po are reminded to undergo compulsory testing tomorrow.
A total of 39 cases were reported in Hong Kong in the past 14 days, including two import-related cases.
For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government’s dedicated webpage.
http://dlvr.it/S3W75M
