Hundreds Offered Covid Tests Over Kai Tak Outbreak

Health officials have called for work to be suspended at a Kai Tak construction site – and are offering hundreds of workers coronavirus tests – after two people there tested positive.

A 22-year-old worker at the site was one of six new confirmed cases in Hong Kong on Sunday, while a preliminary test on a second worker there had come back positive.

A third worker had also been taken to hospital after reporting feeling unwell, and seven others were sent to quarantine as they had recently eaten meals together with the 22-year-old.

The centre for health protection's Chuang Shuk-kwan said there were around 500 workers at the Kai Tak construction site, and they were being asked to take Covid-19 tests as a precaution.

"There are other companies working there ... although they don't have direct contact, they're not considered close contacts," Chuang told a press briefing.

She said the workers had been told to wear masks, but they took their breaks in a common room and ate meals together there.

The 22-year-old patient lives in Tai Nam Street in Sham Shui Po and Chuang said residents of his building were also being given coronavirus test kits. Some of the man's relatives were also being put in quarantine.

Chuang said the infection indicated there are still silent carriers in the community, and there is a risk of a wider outbreak if people don't remain vigilant.

Five of Sunday's confirmed cases were linked to overseas travel, with the patients recently returning from the Philippines, India, Britain and Tunisia.