- The four have been sent to hospitals for treatment while a source says the female officer is waiting for her test result
- Earlier confirmed case of officer with Covid-19 prompts quarantine of 59 colleagues who attended feast with him
Four police officers in Hong Kong who attended a banquet with a senior constable confirmed to be infected with the coronavirus have shown symptoms, while a policewoman in a separate case has been isolated after shadows were found in her lung scan.
According to a police source earlier, 59 officers, who attended a farewell banquet at a seafood restaurant in Western district with the infected policeman on Tuesday, would be sent to a quarantine camp.
We do not think it is appropriate to attend such large social gatherings at this timeDr Chuang Shuk-kwan, Communicable Disease Branch
The policewoman meanwhile, was attached to a patrol subunit at Aberdeen Police Station, where 36 of her colleagues were among the 59 quarantined.
"We do not think it is appropriate to attend such large social gatherings at this time," said Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Communicable Disease Branch under the Centre for Health Protection at a press briefing on Friday.
It was unclear if the four officers with symptoms worked closely with the riot officer who became the city's 69th Covid-19 case, but Chuang said they showed signs such as a runny nose and sore throat from February 16 to 20. They have been sent to hospitals for treatment.
One more Hongkonger infected on Diamond Princess, total at 66
The other 23 officers at the banquet came from police headquarters in Wan Chai and other stations across Hong Kong Island.
A force insider said the female officer felt unwell on Friday morning after her overnight shift. She then went to Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai for treatment.
"Minor shadows were found in her lung scan. For safety precaution, she was placed under isolation and observation, and received a rapid test. Now, we are waiting for the result," the source said.
He added that the policewoman was not involved in the gathering on Tuesday.
The infected policeman is being treated at United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong. His wife and mother-in-law also showed symptoms of infection, and were sent to hospital.
The family live in Yau Mei Court in Yau Tong, which is near Domain Mall, where a woman confirmed as infected on Thursday works as a cashier at the Super Super Congee & Noodle shop.
The senior constable was attached to the patrol subunit of North Point Police Station, and assigned to the riot squad under the Hong Kong Island regional response contingent, comprising some 40 officers.
The source said members of the squad who were not defined as close contacts were screened for fever when they reported for duty, and required to wear masks. They were also deployed in operations with no public interaction.
All officers at North Point Police Station were required to undergo temperature checks before starting work there from Friday morning, according to another source.
The force also cleaned and sanitised the station, related facilities and vehicles, as well as the disciplined service quarters in Yau Mei Court.
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