Health officials today confirmed that one more person has tested positive for the new COVID-19 coronavirus, bringing the total number of Hong Kong cases to 58.
Chuang Shuk-kwan, the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease chief, announced at a press conference on Monday afternoon that the latest case is a 69-year-old retired man who also suffers from hypertension and diabetes.
He developed symptoms on Feb. 8 and saw a private doctor on three occasions afterwards. On Feb. 15, he went to an outpatient clinic in Cheung Sha Wan, and was admitted to Caritas Medical Centre the next day.
Chuang confirmed the man lives at the Yee Ming housing estate in Tseung Kwan O with his daughter, who is currently asymptomatic. She added that officials haven’t been able to trace the source of transmission, and that the man spent a lot of time at home, but did meet up with his younger sister over the Lunar New Year.
Chuang also confirmed that two other people — the wife and a male colleague of the 57th confirmed case — have preliminarily tested positive for the coronavirus, but another round of tests is needed before the cases are confirmed.
Ming Pao reported earlier today that case number 57 — a 54-year-old man who lives in Tai Koo Shing — is an engineer from architecture firm P&T Group, and that he attended a development project meeting at the Hospital Authority’s headquarters on Feb. 6, as well as on Feb. 7, the day striking hospital workers occupied the offices, according to RTHK.
Case 57’s 45-year-old colleague — the man who preliminarily tested positive — also attended the meeting, and will become the 59th COVID-19 case in Hong Kong if confirmed.
Case 57’s 46-year-old wife was also sent to hospital after her husband tested positive and has preliminarily tested positive herself.
