More M&S Workers To Be Quarantined After New Case

Seventeen members of staff from a Marks and Spencers store in Causeway Bay are being put in quarantine after another colleague there came down with coronavirus.

This comes as authorities reported 25 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total in Hong Kong to 960.

Authorities said the latest M&S worker found to be infected with the virus did not join a karaoke party with other colleagues who were confirmed to have the disease earlier.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said the member of staff might have been infected because of “environmental factors”.

A small number of other M&S stores have also seen staff coming down with the virus, with the retailer saying all stores in the city have been closed for thorough disinfection work.

The reopening dates of each location are subject to "further safety assessments", a statement on Facebook said.

Meanwhile, two public clinics in Sheung Shui and Ta Kwu Ling have been shut after a cleaner who worked at the two sites caught coronavirus.

The Hospital Authority said the woman did not come into contact with patients and had not handled any saliva samples for testing.

Five colleagues who had lunch with her have been sent to quarantine. A total of 46 members of staff at the clinics have been given tests for Covid-19, with the results not yet back.

Meanwhile, officials said they could not find the source of infection for a 61-year-old Indian woman who works as a clerk at a Philippine bank in the SAR.

Fifteen of the other new patients recently returned from overseas, including a two-month-old baby who came back from the UK with the parents.

A total of 667 patients are currently in Hong Kong hospitals with coronavirus, 14 of them are in a critical condition.

The Under Secretary for Health, Chui Tak-yee, said the number of new cases has dropped compared to the peak in late March, but the government will not be complacent.