Inmate Tests Preliminary Positive For Covid-19

Hundreds of inmates and staff at Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre and Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre will have to be tested for Covid-19 after a man in custody tested preliminary positive for coronavirus.

The Correctional Services Department said the 54-year-old was remanded in custody at the Siu Lam Psychiatric Centre about two weeks ago pending his psychiatric report.

He was put under isolation with another newly-admitted detainee in the same cell, and the department said their body temperatures were normal throughout the period.

The man appeared for a hearing at the West Kowloon Magistracy on Friday before being sent to the Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre.

It was there that officers found him to be unwell and running a high fever. He was then taken to hospital and tested positive for the virus.

Although the detainee who shared the cell with him has not shown any symptoms so far, he has been put under quarantine.

The Centre for Health Protection's Chuang Shuk-kwan said officials are also tracing the 54-year-old's close contacts, while all staff and inmates at the two facilities will be tested for the virus.

"We are tracing the close contacts and we will also distribute deep-throat saliva tests to all the prisoners as well as staff working at both institutions to check whether there are other possible cases", she said.

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