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| Two new patients flew in from Pakistan, the third one from Britain (file photo by Marites Palma) |
Two of the patients, aged 17 and 47, returned from Pakistan Britain
All three reported having symptoms, like fever, cough, and
loss of sense of taste or smell.
But the returnee from Britain
said she developed symptoms in mid-March, but was asymptomatic when she arrived
in Hong Kong .
There were no local cases reported today, Jun 6.
But this did not stop Shatin residents from demanding a halt
in the re-opening of classes in primary and secondary grades this coming
Monday, Jun 8.
The housing estate where a local outbreak occurred last week
involving six residents, is located in the district.
Two dozen student concern groups from secondary schools in
Shatin have urged a further suspension of classes, one day after 30 district
councilors issued a similar warning.
The councilors said it will be hard to maintain social
distancing among the young students, so the infection risk is high.
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| The source of the infection in Luk Chuen House is still unknown |
The source of the infection in Luk Chuen House in Lek Yuen
estate is still not known, but an infectious disease expert said the virus must
have been spread partly by exhaust fans.
The index patient, a 34-year-old woman, lives in a flat
numbered 12, along with her husband, who also tested positive. Two other
patients live in separate flats, both numbered 12 as well. Another lives in a
flat numbered 10.
The expert said that since the first confirmed patient lives
in a floor below the other infected patients, it was not likely the virus
spread through the sewage pipes as was previously thought.
Two other infected residents live on the same floor as the
first reported patient, though with different numbered flats. Experts say the
contamination must have also come from frequently touched surfaces, like the
lift buttons.
As a precaution, health officials evacuated 75 residents
from flats numbered 12 and 10 in the building.
It also conducted 1,363 tests on other residents, but all
came back negative, except for the confirmed cases.
Residents of four household who appear to have fled their
flats are now being sought so they could also be tested.
