Court warrant to inspect virus-hit temple

Health authorities have obtained a court warrant to inspect a closed North Point Buddhist temple after two more elderly female worshippers were confirmed sick with the deadly novel coronavirus, and the temple's master could not be reached.

This came as a 68-year-old Princess Diamond cruise passenger who returned to Hong Kong on a charter flight last Thursday was confirmed with Covid-19, the first among about 190 people airlifted to the SAR on three charter flights.

Another patient, a 62-year-old security guard, was confirmed yesterday, taking the total to 74 last night.

The head of the communicable diseases branch of the Centre for Health Protection, Chuang Shuk-kwan, said so far four elderly women who had been to Fook Wai Ching She Buddhist temple on the first floor of Maylun Apartments in North Point have been confirmed with Covid-19.

But the number of cases relating to the temple may go up to five as another elderly woman living in the building was taken away in an ambulance last night.

A 96-year-old woman who visited the Buddhist temple became a confirmed case on Saturday after a 70-year-old worshipper was confirmed with the coronavirus last Wednesday.

Chuang said the spread of the virus among the worshippers is "like a home outbreak or an outbreak involving a lot of close contacts."

"At the moment the epidemiological information suggests there may be more cases related to the temple so we will go there to check and do some environmental sampling," she said.

Chuang said the person-in-charge of the temple could not be reached on Saturday, prompting them to apply for a court warrant to enter the temple for investigation and disinfection.

But officers managed to contact the temple's master yesterday afternoon. He unlocked the doors and allowed health officers in. She said one of the cases is a 76-year-old woman who lives in Maylun and goes to the temple for several minutes every morning.

"On February 13, she suffered from muscle pain and fever, prompting her to see two private doctors," Chuang said. The woman was sent to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan on Saturday.

The other case is an 80-year-old woman living alone in Chin Hing House in a Chai Wan public estate, who also frequently visits the temple.

"On January 25 and February 8, she stayed in the temple for hours," Chuang said.

The woman had a cough and sore throat on February 8 and went to the Eastern Hospital's accident and emergency department but was not hospitalized.

She was admitted to the hospital only on Saturday and became a confirmed case yesterday.

Despite Chuang assuring residents the 17-story Maylun Apartments are not at a particularly high risk, the building has stepped up temperature checks and made sure those entering are wearing face masks.

Four more passengers from the Diamond Princess who fell ill were sent to Queen Mary Hospital for virus tests last night after a 68-year-old man became a confirmed case yesterday.

Chuang said the man started coughing and had a fever after arriving at the quarantine center at Chun Yeung Estate in Fo Tan, where he was put under 14-day isolation.

But two days after he returned to Hong Kong on the first charter flight he was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Jordan.

On Wednesday he was allowed to disembark from the ship in Yokohama after Japanese authorities said he tested negative for the coronavirus and was free of symptoms.

"That's why we put passengers of the cruise under 14-day quarantine," Chuang said. "It's because we're expecting cases of passengers from the cruise and we can't rule out the possibility of more cases being detected in the future."

Separately, a security guard, 62, living and working at Choi Tin House in a Lam Tin public estate was confirmed with the coronavirus.

Authorities are tracing 17 people who attended a February 10 company dinner gathering together with the security guard.

The man who lives with his wife and son had fever and cough on February 10. He was sent on Thursday to the A&E department of United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong.

The Hospital Authority's chief manager for quality and standards, Lau Ka-hin, said among 74 confirmed cases in Hong Kong, two patients have died while 12 have recovered and been discharged.

The latest person discharged is a 50-year-old woman from the hotpot family who was given a clean bill of health by Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai.

Lau said 60 patients are still being treated in 10 hospitals, with six in serious condition and the remaining 54 stable.

More reports:

S Korea on highest alert as Italy and Iran struggle to contain virus

'Toughest ever' budget

Xi confident impact will be short term

Hongkong senior living in Wuhan dies

Fears Chinese students won't be returning

100 from cruise stuck in Japan

Contagion-fearing Tuen Mun crowd marches

Viral fears over water dispensers