(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)
The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating whether any transmission has occurred at a restaurant where three COVID-19 cases have been reported so far.
At a press briefing this afternoon, the centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said an 88-year-old man has tested preliminary positive for COVID-19, but his source of infection remains unknown.
Dr Chuang said according to the information provided by his family, from March 8 to 14 the patient had visited Chiu Fook Cuisine in Lam Tin where two confirmed cases had earlier been reported.
She said: “We still have not yet confirmed any outbreak concerning the restaurant (Chiu Fook Cuisine). In total there are three cases (two confirmed and one preliminary positive) who had reported visiting this restaurant. Two of them had contact with each other.
“About the third case, we are still investigating whether there is any relation between the patient and the other two previous cases.
“So as a precaution, we have asked the restaurant to suspend services and test all the staff (for COVID-19) and also quarantine around nine staff members of the restaurant because they have reported close contact with the previous cases.
“But we have asked the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer to broadcast (a notification) to those customers who had visited this restaurant since March 8. They will receive a notification and they can go for (COVID-19) testing.”
Hospital Authority Chief Manager (Quality & Standards) Dr Lau Ka-hin supplemented that the patient was admitted to United Christian Hospital's accident and emergency department due to shortness of breath and a fever.
The hospital arranged an admission screening COVID-19 test according to established procedures and the test result was preliminary positive.
He was transferred to the isolation ward for further treatment and is currently in a stable condition.
As a male patient who stayed in the same accident and emergency department cubicle with the index patient did not wear his surgical mask properly, he was identified as close contact and will be quarantined.
All accident and emergency department staff were equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment in accordance with infection control guidelines and no aerosol generating procedures had been performed during that period. None of the staff are classified as close contacts so far.
The hospital has arranged a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the areas in the accident and emergency department.
http://dlvr.it/Rw7pYY
