Another Restaurant Put On Covid Watchlist

Health authorities on Monday reported 76 new coronavirus cases as officials put another restaurant on a watchlist after a number of staff and customers there came down with Covid-19.

People who have been to the restaurant, Sky Cuisine in Sheung Wan, in the past two weeks are being ordered to get tested for the coronavirus as officials are worried about virus transmission at the venue.

Among the local cases, 59 are linked to previous infections, 40 of them to an outbreak involving dance gatherings at studios across the city. That brings the total number of cases linked to this cluster to around 520.

Nine patients were infected via unknown sources, including a housewife, a security guard, a hairstylist and a retiree.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said although the infection figure dropped slightly from the previous day, the public must continue to stay vigilant against the Covid-19 outbreak.

“The number today cannot represent the overall trend. There may be day-to-day variation in the numbers so we have to observe for a longer period of time. And also the sheer number of 76 is very high already. I would appeal to the public to try to reduce non-essential activities as much as possible,” she said.

Chuang said an outbreak at a hostel for disabled people in Shau Kei Wan expanded as one more worker there was confirmed with the infection and another resident tested preliminary positive for the virus, taking the total number of people affected to four.

More than 50 people have tested preliminary positive for the virus, including a worker at an elderly care home in San Po Kong.

The Hospital Authority said a number of its staff also tested preliminary positive for the virus, including a doctor and a patient assistant at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and a support worker at Princess Margaret Hospital. A chief manager of the authority, Dr Lau Ka-hin, said the patients are believed to have contracted the virus in the community.

There are also eight imported cases, involving travellers flying in from Brazil, Pakistan, the US, Russia, Poland and Indonesia.