Maids' haunt to be deserted after new case

Domestic helpers have been giving World-Wide House in Central a wide berth after it was revealed that a Filipino worker confirmed with Covid-19 had visited either a bank or remittance center in the building.

The 38-year-old domestic helper returned from the Philippines on Cathay Pacific flight CX906 on April 8.

Centre for Health Protection's head of communicable disease branch Chuang Shuk-kwan said that "a sample was left at AsiaWorld-Expo but she went to a bank before returning home [for quarantine]."

She has no underlying condition and was asymptomatic. Her residence was given as Constellation Cove in Tai Po and she had no close contacts.

World-Wide House's management office put up a notice on Sunday saying it had been notified by CHP of the woman's visit.

Edwina Antonio, executive director of Bethune House refuge shelters, said it was worrying why the woman had been allowed to go out when she was a recent returnee from overseas.

"We reminded organizations about this [on Sunday]. This must be reiterated again. However, we need to check if she has a problem with her employer providing a place for home quarantine employers must also be reminded to abide by this."

Meanwhile, the remains of former Philippine consul-general in Hong Kong, Bernardita Catalla, who was ambassador to Lebanon when she died aged 62 from complications arising from a Covid-19 infection on April 4, arrived in the Philippines yesterday afternoon.

Officials from the department of foreign affairs, led by secretary Teodoro Locsin and her loved ones, held a brief ceremony at the tarmac before the Philippine flag that was draped on her coffin was handed over to her sister.

Catalla's remains were "immediately brought to a crematorium in Pasay city."

Catalla, who had chronic pulmonary problems, was instrumental in the Hong Kong ban on window cleaning by domestic workers during her three-year stint as head of mission in the SAR.

The Philippines has recorded the most number of Covid-19 cases in southeast Asia, at 5,223 cases, with 335 deaths.