Experts suspect cross-infection at quarantine hotel

A foreign domestic helper who was confirmed with Covid-19 after she completed her quarantine might have contracted the virus from two people staying in the directly opposite room in the quarantine hotel.

Medical experts made the conclusion on Tuesday after inspecting the Dorsett Hotel in Wan Chai where the fully-vaccinated helper stayed for a week.

University of Hong Kong microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung said the helper, who arrived on August 1 from the United States, was staying in a room opposite a couple who flew in on the same flight and were later confirmed to be infected with a mutant strain.

Yuen said he believed when medical staff collected specimen from the couple, they left their window open, which made air flow out of the room, contaminating the corridor with the virus and infecting the helper.

“The couple have opened the windows of their room during specimen collection, and the door was kept open for around a minute and a half. They did not follow the rule which requires those under quarantine to close their window before opening the room door,” he said.

“When windows are opened, air might flow out from the room. This is very problematic, as the air probably contained the Delta variant… after the air flow to the corridor, the medical staff then went to the helper’s room to collected specimen, and her window was not open. Tests we did showed the air in the corridor would flow into [her] room,” he explained.

Yuen also said ventilation inside the hotel was not up to standard to avoid cross-infections.

He also suggested simplifying the procedures for specimen collection to shorten the time that doors were kept opened by, for example, skipping identity verification.

“This is not necessary… Their identification has been verified earlier when they were given sample collection tools,” he said.

The microbiologist added that it was unlikely for the helper to have been infected on the plane even though the couple took the same flight, as they were seated far apart.