Report by : Gan Yung Chyan
/ KUCINTA SETIA
Image courtesy : SCMP
There is a total number of 1411 confirmed covid cases in Hong Kong as of 28 July 2020, with an increase of 106 cases on 28 July. Hence, the number of confirmed covid cases in Hong Kong has exceeded 100 for 7 consecutive days. The third wave of the Hong Kong epidemic lasted for more than 3 weeks without being contained.
Experts from the Hong Kong government have repeatedly pointed out that the current wave of the epidemic may be caused by seafarers and crew members who are exempt from quarantine. However, the Hong Kong government initially refuted that there was no evidence until scholars' genetic analysis proved that the exempt persons had the same genes as the local cases. The Director of Food and Sanitation Chen Zhaoshi changed his statement on 28 July and said that he "has proof." Some experts criticized that if the loopholes are plugged as soon as a crew member is diagnosed at the end of June, there may not be a third wave of covid epidemic in Hong Kong.
Chen: Viral genome of confirmed cases in the third wave related to crew members exempt from quarantine
The four Hong Kong government anti-epidemic consultants Yuan Guoyong, Liang Zhuowei, Xu Shuchang and Keiji Fukuda successively called the sources of the third covid epidemic wave in Hong Kong are seafarers and flight crew exempt from quarantine.
Since 23 July, the media reported that seafarers exempted from quarantine would flock to Hong Kong to change shifts. The Hong Kong government announced on 26 July to tighten the arrangements for exemptions. It also stated that "the government has been concerned about the health risks and pressures brought by imported cases to Hong Kong" until 26 July. There have been reports citing the analysis of the third wave of the virus genetic sequence of the confirmed cases by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University team, which is related to the arrival of passengers from the Philippines (under quarantine) and the crew members exempt from quarantine.
On RTHK's "Millenniums" dated 28 July, Chen Zhaoshi stated that experts have done genetic sequencing on the source of the epidemic or from persons exempted from quarantine, and there has been "experts’ evidence," which has made the authorities' stance clearer. The source has not been traced before, and there is evidence now, and it will definitely be followed up seriously. It is reported that in the future, if a crew member fails to comply with the regulations, the Marine Department and the Civil Aviation Department will take action to revoke the company's exemption.
Hong Kong government should not have denied expert opinions
In the face of accusations of disrespect for experts, the government issued an announcement on 28 July that the press release dated 19 July was based on comments that the quarantine exemption brought quarantine loopholes, and then proposed to completely cancel the exemption. The government needs to clarify the need for the exemption mechanism. It is by no means to deny expert opinions. Unfortunately, the clarification is interpreted as a disagreement between the government and the experts.
Liang Zichao: The first Hong Kong seafarer diagnosed with covid in Ningbo and many seafarers with covid returned to Hong Kong in July exempt from quarantine
Liang Zichao, the Chairman of the Infectious Disease Advisory Committee of the Medical Association, believes that a crew member of a ship that had transit in Hong Kong arrived in Ningbo at the end of June was diagnosed with covid. In early July, there is more than one diagnosed and confirmed covid case that involves seafarers that arrive in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government should have also detected the problem and plug the loopholes. He said, "If the (tightening measures) were done a few weeks earlier, the epidemic might not be so serious this time." If the loopholes are plugged, the third covid epidemic wave may not be triggered.
Unknown how to monitor the covid crew, Liang advocates onboard SARS-CoV-2 sampling and testing
Liang Zichao said that it is still unknown whether anyone will patrol and prosecute crew members who have violated the regulations to linger in the community. Some crew members who are going to go ashore to leave the port, or have to go to the hospital for inspection because the destination requires a virus test certificate. They are still waiting during the reporting period. They may go to the community and trigger another outbreak. He believes that someone should take samples for them on the ship and send them to the laboratory. After a report, the crew can be fetched directly from the freighter ship to the airport.
Keiji Fukuda: Seafarers and crew brought SARS-CoV-2 into Hong Kong
Keiji Fukuda, member of the government's anti-epidemic expert group and dean of the School of Public Health of the University of Hong Kong, responded to Ming Pao, saying that the third wave of the epidemic should be caused by seafarers and crew members who brought the virus into Hong Kong, and the earlier relaxation of measures made the virus easier to spread.
In response to media reports that crew members exempted from quarantine visited many places during their stay in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Shipowners Association issued an open letter yesterday stating that the practitioners concerned are "a very small number of black sheep" and the association is very disappointed. They have asked the union to remind members to comply with the regulations. The party also stated that the ship operator involved was not a member, and that if a member violated the rules, it could consider expelling the operator's membership.
Sources : Ming Pao and South China Morning Post
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