Virus Lab Worker Tests Positive As Cases Pass 5,000

The number of coronavirus cases in Hong Kong has passed 5,000 after the city recorded 13 new infections on Saturday.

Nine of the cases are imported, while three of the four local cases have no clear source.

One of the local cases is a 28-year-old woman who works in a public health laboratory at the University of Hong Kong which handles inactivated samples of the virus.

Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said the samples are not contagious, and all laboratory staff are tested every week as a precaution.

In light of the infection, Chuang said the woman’s close contacts, including colleagues who shared the same working space, will be tested. One colleague who was admitted to hospital has been released after testing negative.

She said there's no evidence to suggest the woman contracted the virus from the lab.

The other patients with no source are a 23-year-old Indonesian helper who lives in Ma On Shan and a 79-year-old retired woman from Tuen Mun.

The infection tally has now reached 5,009, with experts warning of a possible resurgence of cases in winter.

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