HONG KONG — A Filipina has become the first domestic helper to contract the coronavirus in Hong Kong, health authorities said on Tuesday, as the city reported two more new cases.
There are more than 180,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong, many working as helpers, according to the Philippines labour ministry
There are more than 180,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong, many working as helpers, according to the Philippines labor ministry.
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The helper, who worked for one of the previous confirmed coronavirus cases, spent an hour out with over 10 friends who the health department is contacting, the head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, Chuang Shuk-kwan, said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
The new patient was admitted to the hospital on Jan 14 when her lung X-ray showed signs of infection, but her virus test was negative, said Chuang.
Officials also said two people who were earlier diagnosed with the novel coronavirus pneumonia are expected to be released from the hospital on Tuesday.
According to Chui Tak-yi, undersecretary for food and health, one of them is Hong Kong’s sixth patient, a 47-year-old man who worked in Wuhan. He was diagnosed on Jan 26. The other, an 80-year-old man who was diagnosed on Feb 1, was on the cruise ship Diamond Princess from Jan 20-25.
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The two patients will be required to return to the hospital two weeks later for a re-examination, including X-rays and lung function tests. Earlier, a 25-old-man, the 18th patient in Hong Kong, was discharged from the hospital on Feb 12.
In addition, a 58-year-old man tested positive for the novel coronavirus pneumonia on Tuesday, becoming the city's latest and 62th patient.
The man, who lives in Kwun Tong, paid a visit for his wife and daughter in Zhongshan, Guangdong province, from Jan 23 to Feb 2. He also made a one-day business trip to Macao on Feb 5.
Chui also announced that starting from Wednesday, all pneumonia patients being treated treatment at public hospitals will be tested for the novel coronavirus if their clinical condition does not improve after three days of treatment. The new arrangement is under the “Enhanced Laboratory Surveillance” program.
So far, 20 of the 61 confirmed cases have been confirmed under the program.
Also beginning Wednesday, patients aged 18 years and older with fever, pneumonia or respiratory symptoms but do not required hospitalization will be given a container for a saliva sample.
The patient will need to send back a saliva sample the next day to the clinic or outpatient center they visited for coronavirus tests, said Lau Ka-hin, chief manager (quality and standards) of the Hospital Authority.
With Reuters inputs
