Lockdown in Kwun Tong and Sham Shui Po declared as authorities investigate hamster cluster

Lockdown was declared at Grand Central in Kwun Tong and Fu Yuet House at Fu Cheong Estate in Sham Shui Po on Wednesday night over two preliminary positive cases, including one that may link to the pet shop cluster. 

The two lockdowns are expected to finish between 6.30am and 7am on Thursday. 

Tower 3 of Grand Central was locked down after a 17-year-old student tested positive today. 

Residents of the block, excluding the shops located on the first and second floor of Yue Man Square, must undergo compulsory testing before Thursday midnight. 

Any person who had stayed at the Kwun Tong building for more than two hours from January 6 to January 19 must undergo compulsory testing by Friday. 

Authorities are now investigating his case to see if he is part of the pet shop cluster, which triggered the culling of at least 2,000 hamsters and small animals after several hamsters tested positive of Covid-19. 

The student resident carried the mutant strain L452R – an indicator for Delta cases – while most other cases in Hong Kong are Omicron. Although he had not been to the pet shop in Causeway Bay selling hamsters, authorities are investigating if he is part of the cluster. 

The student studied at St. Joseph's Anglo-Chinese School in Kwun Tong. He had a fever last Saturday and tested preliminary positive for Covid-19 on Monday as he went to see a doctor. 

He ate at Thai food at Food Fiesta in APM last Wednesday, and had been to Lok Fu Plaza last Friday. He also visited Argyle Centre and New Town Mall in Mong Kok last Saturday, and dined at Jumbo Japanese Restaurant on Kwun Tong Road on Sunday. 

Meanwhile, residents at the Sham Shui Po building must undergo testing by 12.30am on Thursday. The testing requirement also applies to those who had been to there between January 10 and January 19. They need undergo testing by Friday as well.