Hong Kong health officials today announced that a toddler will be tested for coronavirus after his parents were found to have contracted the coronavirus this week.
Speaking to reporters at a daily afternoon press conference, Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection confirmed that the family of three took a Cathay Pacific flight from London to Hong Kong on Feb. 29, and were sitting close to a passenger who was later confirmed to be infected with COVID-19.
The mother, aged 31, was confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus on Wednesday, while the dad tested preliminarily positive today, pending further confirmatory tests.
A press release from last night said that the woman’s son and husband were asymptomatic, but Chuang confirmed today that doctors noticed the toddler had a mild runny nose today, and that tests were being arranged at Princess Margaret Hospital to see if he has been infected.
“It has been reported in overseas literature that children can also get infected, but their symptoms may be very mild,” she said.
“According to reports in other places, children and adolescents seem to have very mild symptoms… So in case, even if baby is confirmed, I think the symptoms will continue to be very mild.”
Chuang was joined by Undersecretary for Health Chui Tak-yee, who urged people to avoid crowds ahead of the Ching Ming Festival, which this year falls on April 4.
The festival is one of two tomb-sweeping events in the calendar, and typically sees thousands of Hongkongers flock to the graves of their ancestors to clean their tombstones and pay their respects.
“We recommend people to spread out their visits, because from the numbers in the past, people tend to concentrate their visits on Ching Ming Festival,” Chui said, saying that some people should consider doing their tomb sweeping two weeks early or using “electronic platforms to do their ancestor remembrance.”
“In order to avoid crowding, which will increase the spread of infectious diseases, what the government advises is for the public to plan their trips ahead. Try not to focus on the Ching Ming Festival or the period close to Ching Ming.”
