Quarantine Orders Issued Over Infected Social Worker

Health authorities reported seven new coronavirus cases in Hong Kong on Friday, with six of them linked to overseas travel and the remaining patient a social worker who caught the virus in the territory, via an unknown source.

The man works at a residential care home for recovered mental health patients in Sham Shui Po.

Officials said he went cycling from Sha Tin to Tai Po with eight residents from the care home and several colleagues on Monday.

These close contacts are to be put under quarantine as a precaution, although they had worn face masks when cycling, officials said.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said other staff and residents at the care home will also be tested for Covid-19.

"The institution will be closed to the public for two weeks and will be carrying out thorough disinfection. We will test all staff and residents there. We will try to trace some residents who left recently and test them," she said.

The social worker also went to a church in To Kwa Wan on Sunday, but only gathered with about 10 people. Several friends the man had lunch with will also be put under quarantine, officials said.

The imported cases involved people who flew back to Hong Kong from Malta, Nepal and India.