Hong Kong records four new cases of coronavirus

Hong Kong saw four more cases of the deadly coronavirus yesterday, including two that showed no symptoms even after diagnosis, taking the total to 114.

Head of communicable disease branch Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said 111th case is a 76-year-old man living in Baguio Villa in Pok Fu Lam who went on a self-formed tour to Mumbai, India from January 31 and February 24.

He is the fourth local member of the 21-people tour that has been confirmed with the coronavirus.

The man has been suffering from mild diarrhea since February 23. After returning to Hong Kong, he was went to the hospital due to continuous diarrhea but was tested negative for the coronavirus.

As a member of the Indian tour, he was sent to the quarantine center after the first patient from the cluster – a 69-year-old woman – became a confirmed case last Wednesday.

On Saturday, officers at the quarantine center tested his saliva sample and found him to be positive for the virus.

Chuang said the second case yesterday was a 55-year-old man, who is the husband of a previously diagnosed 55-year-old worshiper of the North Point Fook Wai Ching She Buddhist temple.

Their 24-year-old son was also confirmed with the virus on February 25, the same day as the mother.

Chuang said the father has been living in a quarantine center since Februry 26 and previous tests for the coronavirus were either uncertain or negative.

When health officers tested him again yesterday as a usualy practice to run a final test on those under quarantine before their 14-day isolation has been completed, he was tested positive, despite showing no symptoms all along, she said.

The third case yesterday was a similar asymtomatic case of a 47-year-old helper of horse owner Yvonne Chow Hau-yee, who also was not unwell but tested positive two days before completing the 14-day quarantine after Chow was diagnosed on February 25.

The last case yesterday was a 41-year-old man living in Envoy Garden in Happy Valley. He has been to Japan for a business trip between February 19 to 21 and London between February 21 and 29.

He went to work as usual last Wednesday and Thursday but suffered from a headache, a mild sore throat, a runny nose and fatigue on Friday.

He attended the Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai and became a confirmed cae yesterday.