Russia link found in airport porter infected with Delta variant

By The SUN

The porter is suspected to have been infected by an undiagnosed Russian cabin crew

Genetic sequencing has revealed that the Delta mutant strain carried by a porter at Hong Kong International Airport had the same genome or genetic makeup as four cases from Russia, according to a statement issued by the Centre for Health Protection today, Jul 13.

However, the immediate source of his infection is still being investigation.

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The statement was issued as an additional confirmed case was reported today, involving a 27-year-old woman who flew in from Cambodia and was found infected while in quarantine at Hotel Jen in Shek Tong Sui. She was asymptomatic.

According to the CHP, the porter (Case 11952) , whose infection was confirmed last Sunday, Jul 11, had served flight RL 9933 where an air crew (11947) was found infected after arriving from Moscow on Jul 6.

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While the two did not have direct contact, the porter reportedly stayed and worked on the plane for several hours. Some turnaround crew members on this flight also stayed inside the cabin the whole time.

“Case 11952 might have been infected from some undiagnosed cabin crew in this flight from Russia,” said the statement. “The CHP is following up the case with the overseas health authority and further investigation is still ongoing.”

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Three other previously reported infections from Russia were also linked to the porter through genetic sequencing. One, case 11887, was a cargo flight crew from Russia who arrived on Jun 16. The two others were a couple from Russia who arrived in Hong Kong on Jun 29.

The porter’s case was found not to be genetically linked to another airport worker, a ground crew staff found infected with the mutant virus two weeks ago.

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Case 11909, which pertains to the ground crew, was earlier linked to three Indonesian women who were all found to carry the variant.

In the past 14 days, a total of 31 cases have been reported, only two of which were not imported. The two others are the airport workers, which based on the latest reports, are now both linked to imported cases.

Hong Kong’s total Covid-19 tally is made up of 11,592 confirmed and one probable case.