Dozens Quarantined Over Holiday Gatherings

Health authorities on Wednesday said a jobless man who came down with Covid has forced nearly 50 relatives into quarantine because they had gathered during the Chinese New Year holiday.

The Centre for Health Protection said the 34-year-old patient met groups of relatives before he was confirmed with the infection, and they mostly had not worn face masks during the gatherings.

Separately, a 36-year-old office worker who joined some social gatherings during the holiday period has also caught the virus, sending more than 20 of his contacts into quarantine.

The centre’s Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said officials would closely monitor the pandemic situation.

“It is possible that similar to previous cases... if there are large gatherings, without mask activities especially with relatives and friends for a longer period of time, transmission may occur,” she said.

This comes as the number of newly reported coronavirus cases rebounded on Wednesday, with 16 infections, 12 of which are locally acquired.

The number of infections had been in the single-digits in the past two days.

Ten of the latest patients were infected via unknown sources, including two restaurant staff and a construction worker.

And officials have ordered anyone who’s been to Kwai Chung Fire Station to get tested after three firemen and a number of their family members were confirmed with the virus or tested preliminary positive.

Chuang said the virus might have been spread among staff at places such as the changing rooms at the station.

About 10 other people have tested preliminary positive for the virus.