Health experts urge immediate tightening of Covid rules

Prominent medical experts in Hong Kong have called on authorities to immediately tighten the city’s social distancing measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus, warning there may be up to 10 “silent transmission chains” in the community.

Health officials had on Tuesday reported the SAR’s first untraceable Covid-19 case in almost three months, and say it’s very likely that the Tuen Mun resident had contracted Omicron.

University of Hong Kong faculty of medicine dean Gabriel Leung Cheuk-wai, said Hong Kong should, within 24 hours, tighten its social distancing measures to cut the transmission chains.

Leung said the city has already seen a third-generation spread of the virus.

“Apart from the Moon Palace cluster, there are at least two other chains of transmission being triggered, with another possible five to 10 silent transmission chains within our society,” said Leung.

His view is echoed by Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Hong Kong, who also suggested the government tighten the social distancing measures within these two days.

Hung also said schools may have to again suspend in-person classes in view of the development of the city’s Covid outbreak.

Meanwhile, leading government pandemic adviser Professor Yuen Kwok-yung said Hong Kong’s fifth Covid wave has already begun, suggesting people call off unnecessary gatherings.

The health expert believes close contacts of the infected Cathay aircrew have spread the virus within the city.

He said authorities should verify the source of infection over the city’s Covid cases, figuring out if the patients contracted the virus from untraceable sources or not.

“Apart from tracing the patients’ close contacts, the close contacts of those deemed close contacts of the patients should also be monitored,” said Yuen.