A COVID-19 patient is believed to have visited a brothel in Mong Kok earlier this month before testing positive for the virus, prompting a tricky contract-tracing operation for authorities who have not been able to locate the sex worker in question.
HK01 reported that the 35-year-old man met with the prostitute in King Hing Building, which is known for housing a number of brothels, on November 8. His infection was among the unknown cases confirmed on Sunday.
According to the outlet, the man told authorities he “forgot” which floor he patronized. Personnel went to the building on Sunday night to call on sex workers to get tested for the virus.
When HK01 reporters visited the building on Monday night, they saw a sign outside one brothel stating “No mask, no sexy!”
But at another brothel, a prostitute said that sex could be offered “without having to wear a mask.”
Hong Kong has experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent days, with 80 new infections recorded Tuesday. The spike forced authorities to call off a long-awaited travel bubble with Singapore, and order the closure of bars and nightclubs starting Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the significant proportion of cases with no known links suggests that the virus is spreading silently in a number of districts across the city.
Lam said COVID-19 testing would be made mandatory for high-risk groups including those who had visited the dancing venues at the center of a rapidly growing cluster, caregivers at elderly and residential homes, taxi drivers and those experiencing virus symptoms.
“Until an effective vaccine is widely available, testing remains key to controlling the spread of the virus,” Lam said.
Earlier this month, a prostitute working at a Mong Kok hotel tested positive for COVID-19. The 42-year-old mainland Chinese woman, who was found to be staying in Hong Kong illegally, was arrested during an undercover police operation targeting suspected prostitutes.
At the time, authorities did not report anybody coming forward to admit they had previously engaged with the sex worker.
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