Two Care Home Residents Succumb To Coronavirus

Residents of two care homes who were hospitalised after getting infected with coronavirus have succumbed to their illness, taking the death toll linked to Covid-19 in Hong Kong to 27.

The latest victim was a 91-year-old man, who was a resident of Kong Tai Care for the Aged Centre in Tsz Wan Shan.

The man, with chronic diseases, was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 10. His condition continued to deteriorate and passed away around 11:30am on Friday.

Forty five residents and staff there have been infected with the virus and it is the sixth death linked to the cluster, according to RTHK tally.

The announcement of the man’s death came just hours after health officials said an 82-year-old woman resident of Cornwall Elderly’s Home in Tuen Mun passed away at the Tuen Mun Hospital.

She was hospitalised on Sunday after developing a fever. Her condition deteriorated since then and her family agreed not to resuscitate her.

More than 30 staff and residents at the care home in Tuen Mun have come down with the disease after the new wave of infections started in the city early this month.

Hong Kong has been reporting a sharp rise in coronavirus cases since July 7 and on Thursday official said 149 more people were added to the list – a record – with 145 of them infected locally .

Meanwhile, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said it is stepping up anti-epidemic measures at Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse, after a total of ten confirmed or preliminary positive Covid-19 cases were linked to the facility.

It said only staff who tested negative for the coronavirus would be allowed to enter the slaughter lines for work.

It has tested more than 1,200 stakeholders, including staff from the operator, importers, buyers and transportation companies, for the virus.

A department spokesman said the government is concerned about the coronavirus cases and will strive to ensure the smooth operation of the slaughterhouse and that the supply of live pigs will not be affected.

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