HK Records Six New Imported Covid Cases

Health authorities reported six new imported Covid-19 infections on Thursday.

They included an aircrew member who flew in from Russia and a foreign domestic helper from the Philippines.

The others arrived from France, Thailand, Nepal and Bangladesh.

All of the patients, except a one-year-old girl, have been fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said latest investigations into two linked imported cases who underwent quarantine at the Regal Airport Hotel earlier this month showed they had "highly similar" genetic sequences.

It said the two patients carried viruses belonging to a newly emerged lineage, B.1.1.529, similar to those found in South Africa and Botswana.

The centre said it confirmed that the virus was brought in by one of the cases: a man who flew in from South Africa.

"Scientific information on the public health significance about this lineage is lacking at the moment. It is classified by the World Health Organisation as 'variants under monitoring'. The CHP will closely monitor the latest developments," the centre said.