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China - Hong Kong reporting more cases of COVID-19 Omicron variant - November 25+

O

Okieman

Well-known member
HK detects new mutant variant, adds six imported cases

Local | 25 Nov 2021 8:52 pm

snip

A total of 12 persons, who lived in the three rooms to the left and to the right of the two patients in the hotel during November 11 to 14, have been sent to Penny's Bay Quarantine Center to undergo compulsory quarantine for 14 days.

So far no related case was detected.

The center also reported six imported cases, including a one-year-old baby girl, two men and three women aged 17 to 45.

Apart from the baby girl, the other five patients had received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine before.

Among them, four arrived in Hong Kong on Tuesday, including a 28-year-old man from France on flight CX260, a 35-year-old woman from the Philippines on flight 5J272, a 45-year-old man from Russia on flight FV4501 and a 32-year-old woman from Nepal on flight RA409.

The baby girl and a 17-year-old girl traveled to Hong Kong on Sunday on flight EK384. The baby traveled from Bangladesh via the United Arab Emirates while the teenager traveled from Thailand.

snip

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/brea...s-new-mutant-variant,-adds-six-imported-cases

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Okieman Comment: It appears that this variant is very transmissible. And based upon the information in this article one should consider that it has already spread all over the world. The next question for me is how well it gets around the vaccine or immunity and how capable it is at causing severe health effects? This article and data about it's spread in in Gauteng Province seem to indicate some ability to get past the vaccine.
 
One more sentence from the article above:

Health experts earlier suggested airborne transmission after inspecting the Chek Lap Kok hotel, saying a patient spread the virus to another person living across the corridor through the air.
 
It appears that the index case at the Regal Airport Hotel didn't follow quarantine procedures...

They were a 36-year-old man arriving in Hong Kong from South Africa confirmed with the infection on November 15 and a 62-year-old man from Canada diagnosed on Saturday. They lived in opposite rooms on the fifth floor.

Yuen said the 36-year-old man did not wear proper surgical masks in his hotel room and sometimes even opened the door without wearing any masks, allowing the coronavirus to get into the corridor and eventually infect the elder man living opposite him.

https://www.thestandard.com.hk/brea...rport-Hotel-following-two-cases-on-same-floor
 
CHP provides latest information on COVID-19's Variant of Concern, Omicron
************************************************** ***********
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (November 27) said that since it announced on November 25 two confirmed cases carried viruses which belonged to a newly emerged lineage, B.1.1.529, the CHP has been closely monitoring and following up the latest development of the mutant strain concerned. In view of the latest announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) concerning the Omicron variant, the Government implemented last night (November 26) the most stringent boarding and quarantine requirements for eight places in southern Africa. Starting tomorrow (November 28), the CHP will further strengthen the quarantine and testing requirements for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) residents arriving from the relevant places, including arranging them to stay in quarantine centre for seven days.

The WHO has designated B.1.1.529 as a Variant of Concern and named it Omicron on November 26 (Geneva time). The mutant strain possesses a large number of mutations and it was first reported to the WHO from South Africa on November 24. In addition, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, this mutant strain is the most divergent variant during the COVID-19 pandemic so far. This raises concerns that it may be associated with increased transmissibility, reduction in vaccine effectiveness and increased risk for reinfections.

According to official sources, apart from the information on mutant strain involving two cases provided by the HKSAR Government, the Omicron variant has been detected in a number of places including Botswana, South Africa, Israel and Belgium. To facilitate further risk assessment, the CHP has contacted the health authorities of Israel and Belgium for details about the imported cases there.

Locally, according to the whole genome sequencing conducted by the DH's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch, there are so far two cases which had been announced earlier (cases 12388 and 12404) detected to be carrying the Omicron variant. The CHP has earlier arranged for persons who had stayed from November 11 to 14 in the three rooms to the left and to the right of the two rooms concerned (Rooms 5111 and 5112) of Regal Airport Hotel to undergo compulsory quarantine at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre for 14 days. No new related case was detected so far.

The Government has been closely monitoring the latest scientific data on mutant strains as well as the epidemic situation of various places and will adjust the boarding, quarantine and testing requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from relevant places based on the risk levels as the situation warrants. In view of the latest developments of the Omicron variant, started from 0.00am today, along with South Africa which was already a Group A specified place, the Government also specified Botswana, as well as the adjacent Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe as Group A specified places. Non-Hong Kong residents who have stayed in these places within 21 days will not be allowed to enter Hong Kong. Details on the relevant boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for respective specified places can be found at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/inbound-travel.html.

Under existing requirement, persons who have stayed in high-risk Group A specified places on the day of boarding for/arrival at Hong Kong or during the 21 days before that day can only board flights for Hong Kong if they are HKSAR residents who are fully vaccinated and hold a recognised vaccination record. Upon arrival, they have to undergo compulsory quarantine for 21 days in a designated quarantine hotel and undergo six tests during compulsory quarantine, followed by self-monitoring for the subsequent seven days, and have to undergo compulsory testing in a community testing centre on the 26th day of arrival at Hong Kong.

To enhance the surveillance on the Omicron variant, starting from 0.00am tomorrow, the CHP will require HKSAR residents arriving from the eight places in southern Africa concerned to undergo quarantine at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre for seven days, during which they have to undergo testing every day and their health conditions will be monitored by healthcare professionals. Upon completion of the seven-day quarantine at quarantine centre, they will be allowed to finish the rest of the compulsory quarantine requirement at the designated quarantine hotel which they have reserved. They are also required to undergo testing on the 9th, 12th, 16th and 19th day and another compulsory testing in a community testing centre on the 26th day of arrival at Hong Kong.

The Government has also stepped up its surveillance on designated quarantine hotels and will ensure their compliance to the infection control requirements at all times. Persons undergoing quarantine are reminded again that they must keep the windows in the hotel room closed and wear the surgical masks when they open the room door.

The spokesman for the CHP said, "Although there are not any direct passenger flights arriving Hong Kong from the eight places in southern Africa concerned currently, we noticed the presence of the Omicron variant in a number of places globally. We must stay vigilant and implement the most stringent anti-epidemic measures to prevent the mutant strain from entering the local community. We will review the effectiveness of those anti-epidemic measures from time to time."

Ends/Saturday, November 27, 2021
Issued at HKT 21:39

https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202111/27/P2021112700808.htm?fontSize=1
 
CHP investigates three additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 and provides update on latest investigations on imported case 12432
************************************************** *************************
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 0.00am, November 29, the CHP was investigating three additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 12 431 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 12 430 confirmed cases and one probable case).

The newly reported cases are imported cases which involved mutant strains. The patients comprise two males and one female, aged 42 to 73. One of them arrived in Hong Kong from a Group A specified place (high-risk) and two from Group B specified places (medium-risk). Case 12434 is a close contact of an imported case confirmed previously (case 12429) and tested positive at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre (PBQC). Case 12435, being the close contact of an imported case confirmed previously (case 12431), felt unwell at the PBQC and her specimen collected at the hospital tested positive. Case 12436 tested positive during the "test-and-hold" arrangement upon arrival at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre at Hong Kong International Airport.

A total of 46 cases have been reported in the past 14 days (November 15 to 28) and all of them are imported cases.

Also, the CHP provided an update on the latest investigations on imported case 12432 involving a 37-year-old male patient who arrived in Hong Kong from Nigeria by flight ET608 via Ethiopia on November 24 and tested negative upon arrival at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre at Hong Kong International Airport. He tested positive on November 26 (Day 3) during compulsory quarantine at a designated quarantine hotel with a Ct value of 27 to 29. Another specimen collected on November 27 after admission to hospital had a Ct value of about 20, indicating a recent infection outside Hong Kong. The whole genome sequencing conducted by the DH's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch confirmed that the case carried the Variant of Concern Omicron. Together with the two imported cases (case 12388 and 12404) announced earlier, which also carried the Omicron mutant strains, there are now three relevant cases in Hong Kong. The CHP will continue to closely monitor and follow up on the latest developments of the mutant strain concerned and to implement the most stringent anti-epidemic measures to prevent the mutant strain from entering the local community.

The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

The spokesman for the CHP stressed, "The global situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and there is a continuous increase in the number of cases involving mutant strains that carry higher transmissibility, and there are also reports of breakthrough infections in some vaccinated individuals. The CHP strongly urges members of the public to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong, in particular to specified places with high risk under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H)."

Ends/Monday, November 29, 2021
Issued at HKT 18:20

https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202111/29/P2021112900624.htm
 
CHP investigates six additional confirmed cases of COVID-19
*************************************************
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 0.00am, November 30, the CHP was investigating six additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 12 437 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 12 436 confirmed cases and one probable case).

The newly reported cases are imported cases. Four of the cases involved mutant strains while the viral load of one case is insufficient for mutation tests and the mutation test result of the remaining case is pending. The patients comprise two males and four females, aged 1 to 48. All of them arrived in Hong Kong from Group A specified places (high-risk). Case 12437, 12438 and 12439 are close contacts of imported cases confirmed previously (case 12411, 12412 and 12413) and they tested positive at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre. For the remaining patients, one of them tested positive during the "test-and-hold" arrangement upon arrival at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre at Hong Kong International Airport and the other two tested positive during quarantine.

A total of 43 cases have been reported in the past 14 days (November 16 to 29) and all of them are imported cases.

According to the testing and quarantine arrangements for local COVID-19 cases with mutant strains, the CHP reminded that persons who resided or worked within the same building as the residence of relevant cases will be subject to compulsory testing on specified dates in accordance with the announcement by the DH. They will also be required to undergo self-monitoring until the 21st day (see the details of the buildings and dates of testing at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/CTN_Specified_premises_and_Dates_of_Testing.pdf).

Specified persons in relation to the following specified premises are also reminded to undergo compulsory testing in accordance with the compulsory testing notice tomorrow (December 1):
  • Way Man Court, 50-52 Village Road, Happy Valley
The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

​The spokesman for the CHP stressed, "The global situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and there is a continuous increase in the number of cases involving mutant strains that carry higher transmissibility, and there are also reports of breakthrough infections in some vaccinated individuals. The CHP strongly urges members of the public to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong, in particular to specified places with high risk under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H)."

Ends/Tuesday, November 30, 2021
Issued at HKT 14:15

https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202111/30/P2021113000350.htm
 
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