All Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry staffers will be tested for Covid-19 after a ferry captain became infected.

Three other members of staff were also among Sunday’s 31 additional cases.

lamma ferry
Lamma ferry. File photo: Wikicommons.

In a press release on Sunday night, the company said that the captain was last on duty on Thursday and other staff as recently as Saturday. “All ferries and piers have been cleaned and sterilised thoroughly,” the statement said.

The Head of the Centre for Health Protection’s Communicable Disease Branch Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said the staffers became infected due to close contact, such as eating together. She said the captain was responsible for the route between Central and Peng Chau, Central and Lamma Island, and also between Tsuen Wan and the third airport runway.

Sanatorium centre evacuated

Meanwhile, the second floor of the Hung Hom Yi Wo Yuen Aged Sanatorium Centre was evacuated and dozens quarantined after a night worker tested preliminary positive, health authorities said on Sunday.

Among Sunday’s cases, three were imported and 28 locally-transmitted. 19 were linked to previously known cases whilst nine had unknown origins. The new cases bring the total number of infections to 9,243.

Coronavirus virus covid-19 mask
Photo: GovHK.

A 71-year-old male patient died on Saturday from the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 153.

A Centre for Health Protection said: “Given that the situation of Covid-19 infection remains severe and that there is a continuous increase in the number of cases reported around the world, members of the public are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong.

Support HKFP  |  Policies & Ethics  |  Error/typo?  |  Contact Us  |  Newsletter  | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps

Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team

contribute to hkfp methods
LATEST ON COVID-19 IN HONG KONG
HKFP GUIDES
childrens vaccine
social distancing
supporting
what to do if you get covid
vax pass
face masks
rapid test buying guide
Bobby Covid book 2
support hong kong free press generic

Tom founded Hong Kong Free Press in 2015 and is the editor-in-chief. In addition to editing, he is responsible for managing the newsroom and company - including fundraising, recruitment and overseeing HKFP's web presence and ethical guidelines.

He has a BA in Communications and New Media from Leeds University and an MA in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong. He previously led an NGO advocating for domestic worker rights, and has contributed to the BBC, Deutsche Welle, Al-Jazeera and others.