More unlinked cases among 20 new Covid infections

A post-Chinese New Year swell in the number of Covid-19 cases continued on Sunday, with health authorities expressing concern at the persistence of untraceable infections in Hong Kong.

While the 20 new cases confirmed on Sunday are only slightly up from the tally from the previous few days, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said there’s still a risk that there could be a more significant rebound in cases in the coming days, as she called for continued vigilance from members of the public.

“The number of unlinked cases have not yet come down, even in the past few days… and also with the Chinese New Year, I also observe that there [are] quite a number of cases, even those linked cases, they have some gatherings during the Chinese New Year period.”

Nineteen of the cases were locally acquired, of those, officials were unable to trace the source of six infections.

One of the new patients is a red minibus driver who usually takes passengers from Tsuen Wan to Kwun Tong.

Of the linked cases, four are related to a growing cluster of infections at the Caritas Lok Yi School in San Wan Ho, which serves children with severe intellectual disabilities.

Dr Chuang said at least seven people have been infected there so far, likely because the children aren’t able to wear masks most of the time.

“Because they have special needs, it’s difficult for them to put on masks all the time or even some time. If any of them got infected, it’s easily to infect others, especially in a residential setting,” Chuang said.

Around ten more people have tested preliminary positive for Covid-19, including one more likely infection at a property agency in Sham Shui Po.

If confirmed, that would mean two people from the firm’s IT department have caught the virus.

The possibility of an outbreak at the office prompted authorities to send around 100 employees there to quarantine centres, though no customers have been affected.

Another preliminary positive involves a 66-year-old midwife, who had not worked since she developed symptoms on February 19.