Hong Kong fourth wave: Covid-19 patient identified in housing block where coronavirus traces found in sewage, as city reports 68 new cases

A Covid-19 patient has been identified in a housing block where Hong Kong’s pilot sewage surveillance scheme found traces of the coronavirus, just days after cases were uncovered in another building in the same estate. While announcing another 68 confirmed coronavirus cases on New Year’s Eve, health officials also revealed that for the first time a mutated strain of the virus seen in South Africa had been found in an arrival from that country. Officials also admitted that a public hospital had, for one hour, lost a patient who had been sent from a quarantine camp and later tested preliminary-positive for the virus, the third such runaway in about two weeks. Of the new cases on Thursday, all but six were local transmissions, 18 of them from unknown sources. The city’s tally of confirmed infections currently stood at 8,846, with 148 related deaths. A 66-year-old male resident of Kai Fai House at the Choi Wan (II) Estate in Wong Tai Sin was among the newly logged infections on Thursday, after a mandatory testing order was issued a day earlier after sewage samples consistently tested positive for the virus. The block was among 43 buildings issued with such an order on Wednesday. The newly positive resident had developed a sore throat on Christmas Day, and went to a clinic for testing on Tuesday. The pilot sewage surveillance system, initially developed by researchers from the University of Hong Kong, had helped to identify three hidden virus carriers at Fung Chak House at the same estate on Tuesday. Government officials have touted the system as a “precautionary measure” against the coronavirus. Wednesday’s expansive mandatory testing order was issued after 42 residential blocks experienced at least two unrelated Covid-19 cases within a two-week period, a new criterion established this week to reduce silent transmissions in the community. Tens of thousands of residents have now been ordered to take a virus test. Covid-19 vaccines: when will shots be available, and what are the possible side effects? Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, on Thursday apologised after clarifying that three of those buildings had been wrongly slated for mandatory testing. “Those three buildings did not fit the criteria,” Chuang acknowledged. “Some infected people hadn’t stayed in those flats for a period of time, or had changed address. “We are sorry for the inconvenience and confusion brought to the public.” Hiu Sing House at Hiu Lai Court, On Lam House at Tsui Lam Estate, and Wah Yan House at Ching Wah Court were the buildings removed from the list after being erroneously flagged. However, it was announced on Thursday that three other blocks would be added to the mandatory testing list. They were Oi Yan House at Tsz Oi Court, the Tak Po Building in Sham Shui Po, and Ching Man House on Ho Man Tin Estate. Meanwhile, a 29-year-old man who recently returned to the city from South Africa and was among Tuesday’s confirmed cases, was found to have the mutated virus strain, “N501Y.V2”, seen in that country. Similar to the variant seen in Britain, the strain is also particularly transmissible, though there is currently no evidence it results in more severe symptoms. Professor David Hui Shu-cheong, a government adviser on its pandemic response, said the discovery of the mutated strain in the city would have little impact. “We have stopped all flights from South Africa. Also, those who had returned earlier were quarantined in hotels, and [the virus] couldn’t spread to the community,” Hui said. Hong Kong had already banned travellers from South Africa since Christmas. Meanwhile, an 80-year-old man who had been quarantined in a facility at Penny’s Bay on Lantau Island became the third person under isolation to attempt to flee. He had been sent to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan on Wednesday afternoon after feeling unwell, and was placed in an isolation ward. He was waiting to be transferred to another ward, but hospital staff found he had left. The patient, who appeared to have cognitive problems, was spotted at a bus stop near the hospital around an hour later. He later tested preliminary-positive. Dr Sara Ho Yuen-ha, a chief manager from the Hospital Authority, said security would be stepped up in the hospital. “The hospital has reminded frontline security staff to take note of patients’ whereabouts. The hospital will also add security guards. If necessary, we will seek help from police,” Ho said. Separately, the Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service on Wednesday was notified that a person who donated blood on December 17 was later confirmed to have Covid-19. The donor’s platelets had been transfused to a patient at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, who died the next day of an apparently unrelated illness. Ho said other blood products from the donor had been retrieved and destroyed. Thursday also saw the death of another Covid-19 patient, the city’s 148th since the beginning of the pandemic. The patient, a 77-year-old man who suffered from a chronic illness, was confirmed to be infected on Christmas Day after being admitted to Caritas Medical Centre. Asked whether there should be more security placed at public hospitals to prevent patients from escaping, Dr Arisina Ma Chung-yee, president of the Hong Kong Public Doctors’ Association, said the purpose of hospital security was to protect the staff and property. “If patients want to escape and perhaps break the law in doing so, then police should take care of the matter,” Ma said. “Don’t give responsibility to the Hospital Authority or its security, or nursing staff to take care of such matters.” Ma also said she would not encourage nursing staff to physically confront patients who were trying to run away or acting in a violent manner. “We have a responsibility as medical workers to tell them [patients] that by running away, they may expose others to the virus,” she said. “I won’t tell staff to physically stop them, but rather try to explain to the patient rationally and calmly.”