Locally Spread Virus Cases Continue To Rise Sharply

Hong Kong recorded another sharp jump in locally-spread coronavirus infections on Monday, with 41 cases confirmed and perhaps more worryingly, people linked to health sector are now being added to the list.

The total number of cases rose by another 52 cases, with 11 people who arrived in the city testing positive for the coronavirus, taking the total tally to 1,521. Authorities said among the newly registered cases, the source of infection was unknown in 20 of them.

The Centre for Health Protection's Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said she was not sure if this was the biggest tally in a single day, but said it should be "one of the highest”.

Among the new victims were a nurse working at the Sacred Heart Oncologists Cancer Centre in Yau Ma Tei, and the centre is now tracing the people with whom she had come into contact.

A female patient who had stayed in the general ward of Queen Elizabeth Hospital also tested positive. A nurse and nine patients from the ward have been placed in isolation for monitoring.

In another case, a person who has been confirmed as a Covid-19 victim had donated blood last week in one of the Red Cross centres in West Kowloon.

Some of that blood was used on a patient at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. That recipient patient is now in isolation.

But the Hospital Authority's chief manager, Dr Lau Ka-hin, played down the risk for this person, pointing out that there is no data that shows that the coronavirus is infected through blood.

He added that authorities have no plans to change their policies as to who can donate blood. But urged donors to notify blood collection centres if they come down with any illness.

Among the new cases added on Monday, 21 are linked to previous clusters. Some are linked to a dim sum shop in Sheung Wan, including staff members and a taxi driver who dined there.

Other new cases involve people from all walks of life, including a renovation worker, a real estate manager, a ParknShop cashier and two part-time taxi drivers.

Imported cases include people coming back from countries such as the Philippines, India and Pakistan.