(Fighting New Coronary Pneumonia) 72 new confirmed cases in Hong Kong, one more elderly home under quarantine
China News Service, Hong Kong, August 9 (Reporter Han Xingtong) The Health Protection Center of the Department of Health of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced on the 9th that there were 72 new confirmed cases, of which 63 were local cases. The total number of confirmed cases increased to 4,079. There are 3 more confirmed and preliminary confirmed cases in the Kai Yee Care and Attention Home of the Kowloon Bay Society for the Aged, and the whole hospital will be quarantined.
Of the 72 newly confirmed cases, 9 were imported cases, and the remaining 63 were local cases. Of these, 39 were related to earlier diagnoses, including 33 cases of infection at home or gatherings of friends, and 24 cases without a source. In addition, there were about 40 preliminary diagnoses that day.
Earlier, a member of the Kai Yee Care and Attention Home of the Kowloon Bay Society for the Aged was diagnosed. Later, the Center for Health Protection conducted tests on other residents and staff, adding 2 more confirmed cases and 1 preliminary case. Zhang Zhujun, director of the Infectious Diseases Division of the Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health, revealed that in the two confirmed cases, one of them had the same room as the earlier confirmed person, while the other two had different rooms, involving a total of 3 rooms. She said frankly that there may be an outbreak in the entire institution, so all staff and more than 40 residents will be listed as close contacts and subject to quarantine.
Zhang Zhujun also mentioned another confirmed case involving an unemployed Indian foreign domestic helper. She once went to an employment company in Tsuen Wan to find a job on July 23 and lived with four other domestic helpers. The person in charge of the employment company saw the news recently and learned that the foreign domestic helper might be infected, and took the initiative to take the 5 asymptomatic foreign domestic helpers for a virus test. One of them was diagnosed and the others tested negative. Zhang Zhujun believes that the group will not involve many people, and only some employees and four foreign domestic helpers who have lived with the confirmed cases are subject to quarantine.
Liu Jiaxian, Chief Administrative Manager (Quality and Standards) of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority (Hospital Authority), announced that four more patients have passed away in the past 24 hours, and the number of deaths has increased to 51. As of 9 a.m., a total of 1041 confirmed patients were hospitalized in 10 hospitals, Lei Yue Mun Community Isolation Center, and AsiaWorld-Expo community treatment facilities. Among them, 41 were in critical condition and 59 were in serious condition. Currently, the Hospital Authority has opened 1,245 isolation beds and 683 isolation wards, with utilization rates of 64 and 71% respectively.
Liu Jiaxian mentioned a confirmed case in Guanghua Hospital involving a 70-year-old man with a long-term illness. He was admitted to the surveillance ward on August 3 due to fever, bellyache and vomiting. At that time, the virus test result was negative. On the 4th, he was transferred to the intensive care unit for treatment. After his condition stabilized, he was transferred back to the monitoring ward on the 5th day and received a virus test again, but the result was still negative. So he was sent to the general surgery ward after his condition improved on the 6th, but later developed fever, sore throat and other symptoms. He underwent a third virus test on the 8th and the result was initially positive. He is now being treated in the isolation ward.
After follow-up, the hospital found that the confirmed patient had lived in 2 cases in the general surgery ward. At present, a total of 8 patients are classified as close contacts, but no medical staff is classified as close contacts. (Finish)