Stranded transit passenger confirmed as Hong Kong's fourth Omicron case
A transit passenger who was stranded in the Hong Kong International Airport due to visa issues was confirmed as Hong Kong's fourth imported Omicron case on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old man arrived at Hong Kong on November 24, on Qatar Airways flight QR818 from Nigeria via Qatar.
Health authorities said he remained in the airside of the restricted area due to a visa-related issue and tested positive in a pre-departure test on November 27 at the restricted area in Hong Kong International Airport.
The patient had not received any Covid-19 vaccination and had been asymptomatic.
The center also reported three imported cases from Pakistan, Spain and the Philippines. One of them carried the L452R mutant strain likely to be the Delta variant and genetic sequencing of the two others are pending.
So far, two of Hong Kong's Omicron cases came from South Africa and two from Nigeria.
They included a 37-year-old man who returned to Hong Kong on November 24 from Nigeria via Ethiopia and Thailand and tested positive during his quarantine at Ramada North Point hotel.
The other two were a 62-year-old man flying into Hong Kong from Canada and a 36-year-old man from South Africa. They arrived in Hong Kong on November 10 and 11, respectively.
Health officials in Hong Kong previously stated that the 62-year-old contracted the virus from the 36-year-old staying on the same floor as him at the Regal Airport Hotel.
Both guests were under compulsory quarantine after arriving from abroad and stayed in rooms that were located opposite one another. The identical genetic sequences of the two samples suggested the cases were epidemiologically linked, officials said.
In view of the new variant Omicron, Hong Kong has imposed tighter restrictions on those who return from countries with Omicron outbreaks.
Currently, Hong Kong has banned non-residents from entering the city from 21 countries with Omicron cases detected.
They include South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zambia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Israel, and Italy.
The government will also add Japan, Portugal, and Sweden to the list starting Friday.
Non-Hong Kong residents who have stayed in these places within 21 days are not allowed to enter Hong Kong.
As for fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents returning to the city, they will have to undergo compulsory quarantine in designated quarantine hotels for 21 days, along with regular Covid tests.
Health authorities said he remained in the airside of the restricted area due to a visa-related issue and tested positive in a pre-departure test on November 27 at the restricted area in Hong Kong International Airport.
The patient had not received any Covid-19 vaccination and had been asymptomatic.
The center also reported three imported cases from Pakistan, Spain and the Philippines. One of them carried the L452R mutant strain likely to be the Delta variant and genetic sequencing of the two others are pending.
So far, two of Hong Kong's Omicron cases came from South Africa and two from Nigeria.
They included a 37-year-old man who returned to Hong Kong on November 24 from Nigeria via Ethiopia and Thailand and tested positive during his quarantine at Ramada North Point hotel.
The other two were a 62-year-old man flying into Hong Kong from Canada and a 36-year-old man from South Africa. They arrived in Hong Kong on November 10 and 11, respectively.
Health officials in Hong Kong previously stated that the 62-year-old contracted the virus from the 36-year-old staying on the same floor as him at the Regal Airport Hotel.
Both guests were under compulsory quarantine after arriving from abroad and stayed in rooms that were located opposite one another. The identical genetic sequences of the two samples suggested the cases were epidemiologically linked, officials said.
In view of the new variant Omicron, Hong Kong has imposed tighter restrictions on those who return from countries with Omicron outbreaks.
Currently, Hong Kong has banned non-residents from entering the city from 21 countries with Omicron cases detected.
They include South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zambia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Israel, and Italy.
The government will also add Japan, Portugal, and Sweden to the list starting Friday.
Non-Hong Kong residents who have stayed in these places within 21 days are not allowed to enter Hong Kong.
As for fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents returning to the city, they will have to undergo compulsory quarantine in designated quarantine hotels for 21 days, along with regular Covid tests.