Tai Kok Tsui block under lockdown over mutated Covid

A private residential block in Tai Kok Tsui was placed under overnight lockdown on Sunday, after a Filipino domestic helper living there became an untraceable preliminary positive case with a mutated strain of Covid-19.

All residents of Tower 6 of Island Harbourview were required to undergo mandatory testing, after authorities cordoned off the area at 8 pm.

Residents have to be tested before 12:30 am, with officials hoping to finish their operation at around 7 am on Monday.

Health officials said the 46 year-old helper visited Pakistan with her former employer’s family in early February, and returned on April 3.

After spending 21 days in quarantine at the Ramada Harbour View hotel in Sai Ying Pun, the woman stayed at her former employer’s residence in Tai Wong Ha Resite Village in Tsing Yi from April 24 to 29.

She subsequently moved into her new employer’s home in Tai Kok Tsui.

Officials said two tests the helper did in late April and early May both came back negative, but a test she did on Saturday under a mandatory testing order found her to be preliminary positive.

Meanwhile, a nurse who works at a community vaccination centre at the Kwun Chung Sports Centre also tested preliminary positive.

The centre’s medical director Samuel Kwok told RTHK that the nurse last worked on Saturday, and her fortnightly test came back positive.

He said two staff had lunch with the nurse and would be quarantined.

But Kwok believes citizens who took jabs at the centre won’t be deemed as close contacts, as all staff wore masks and face shields and it only takes three to four minutes to administer a jab.

The centre added that the nurse, who is in charge of support work and vaccinating people, did not show any symptoms.

The centre would be disinfected and would operate as usual on Monday.