Direct link found between Filipina DH and Indian returnee first found with variant

By Daisy CL Mandap 

The Filipina DH was in Citygate on same day as the Indian returnee & his girlfriend

A male Indian returnee from Dubai could have infected a Filipina domestic helper living in Tung Chung with the South African variant of the coronavirus when they both went to Citygate mall on Apr 11.

This emerged from a press statement issued by the Centre for Health Protection late last night, Monday, which said that the Indian man, the first local case to be found carrying the highly infectious coronavirus strain, had gone to Citygate in Tung Chung on the same day that the Filipina DH was there.

The 29-year-old man, identified as case no 11643, had been to the mall with his 31-year-old girlfriend (case no 11672), who apparently caught the variant from him. They also went to a restaurant, Curry Lounge, on the ground floor of SeaView Crescent in Tung Chung also on the same day.

The Filipina DH who was at Citygate on the same day was confirmed to be carrying the variant on Apr 30, triggering the evacuation and quarantine in government camps of 1,027 of her fellow residents at Tower 11 of Caribbean Coast, also in Tung Chung.

1,027 Caribbean Coast residents have been moved to quarantine centers 

Her case, said to be the first local infection of a variant acquired from an unknown source, also prompted the government to order all 370,000 foreign domestic helpers to undergo testing and vaccination for Covid-19.

Call now!

CHP records show the Indian returnee arrived in Hong Kong from Dubai on Mar 19, and spent the next 21 days in quarantine at Ramada Grand Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui where he was tested negative on his 12^th and 19^th day of isolation.

On his release from quarantine, he went to live with his girlfriend in Parkes building in Jordan and went to various places, including Cheung Chau island. He was asymptomatic.

CALL US!

He had himself tested on Apr 14 in preparation for his return to Dubai. It was only then that his infection was found. Health experts said he must have caught the virus in Ramada TST where he stayed on the same floor with other newly arrived travelers found to have the variant earlier.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love.

In its statement, the government said it will issue a compulsory testing notice to “any person (including visitors and staff) who had been present at the two premises (Citygate and Curry Lounge) on April 11.”

It also urged people to get vaccinated “in view of the threat posed by the mutant strain.”

PADALA NA!

Call us!