Minister Tests Negative After Concert Scare

Home Affairs Secretary Caspar Tsui, who has been caught up in the Hong Kong Philharmonic Covid scare, has tested negative for the virus, officials said on Thursday.

A Home Affairs Bureau spokesman said Tsui was seated quite far away from musicians performing at the Cultural Centre on Friday night. One of the orchestra members has since tested preliminary positive for coronavirus.

The spokesman said the minister did briefly go backstage to visit the performers, but he was wearing a mask at the time.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam also attended Friday night's performance, but officials said earlier that she too had tested negative for the virus.

Meanwhile, infectious disease expert Joseph Tsang has suggested that any live performances should be suspended in the territory until more information is known about the suspected infection.

The entire orchestra of around 100 people has been quarantined, and audience members have also been urged to undergo Covid-19 tests even though they are deemed to be low risk.

Tsang said the musicians are at greater risk than those who were in the audience because they were closer to the patient who tested positive, adding that instruments can expel aerosols, which was why the performers needed to be quarantined.

Under current regulations, venues can stage performances at 50 percent capacity, and must also arrange temperature screening, partitions and social distancing between people.

But Tsang called for a pause to any performances to see if there are more cases of coronavirus.