Covid-19: senior Hong Kong dignitaries sent to quarantine after party

A sign inside a quarantine hotel, during the Covid-19 pandemic, in Hong Kong, August 30, 2021. REUTERS - TYRONE SIU

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

In Hong Kong, dozens of senior officials were sent to a quarantined camp for participating in a party without respecting barrier gestures. 

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The photo posted on social networks might seem trivial.

It shows Witman Hung singing into a microphone, his arm around a young woman, all smiles.

Hong Kong's representative to the National People's Congress of China celebrates his birthday amid dozens of diners at a bar on the island.

But at the start of the year, the Omicron variant has just appeared in Hong Kong.

And in the photo, no one is wearing a mask, no social distancing is respected. 

2022 starts with an old dude hosting a birthday party, inviting 100+ guests including 8 government officials.

Here, birthday boi is mask-off and sings a hearty round of karaoke.

And HK is on lockdown.



Who is he?


Witman Hung, JP, member of the Chinese National People's Congress https://t.co/SwvhjLhCIo pic.twitter.com/BM1TUE5MZ9

- Verbatim HKG 🇭🇰 (@VerbatimHKG) January 7, 2022

The case is scandalous

Two guests tested positive.

All were therefore summoned and sent for three weeks to a quarantined camp, as is planned for contact cases.

And it doesn't matter if the 170 party attendees include high-ranking Hong Kong dignitaries: the Home Affairs Minister, police chiefs and 19 members of the Legislative Council, which is due to hold its first session on Wednesday.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she was "

 very disappointed

 " by this affair.

Several officials had to issue a public apology. 

â–ş

To read also: China: the zero tolerance strategy in the face of Covid-19 undermined by the variants

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  • China

  • Hong Kong

  • Coronavirus

  • Confinement