- Two-time world champion was on same Zurich-Hong Kong flight as passenger who returned a positive for the deadly virus
- Hong Kong athletes beginning to feel the brunt with karate exponent Lee Chun-ho confirmed to be infected
Track cycling star Sarah Lee Wai-sze faces the most anxious wait of her life after she was tested for the coronavirus along with two teammates as Hong Kong athletes began to wake up to the real threat of the global pandemic.
Lee is used to the high-pressure environment at world-class track meets but nothing will prepare her for what could lie ahead as she tested for Covid-19, the deadly pathogen that is sweeping Hong Kong and the world.
The Department of Health confirmed 14 new cases in the city on Wednesday with more cases expected to rise as Hong Kong travellers return from overseas.
The 32-year-old London Games bronze medallist shared the same flight from Zurich as a passenger who was confirmed with the deadly virus in Guangdong province and the former two-time world champion was taking no chances by getting herself tested. She is currently in quarantine at home for 14 days, normal protocol for Hong Kong travellers coming back from Europe, which has been hit hard by the virus.
The Hong Kong star rider faces an anxious 24-hour wait for the test results to come back and she's keeping her fingers crossed that she will be given good news.
A spokesman for the Hong Kong Sports Institute said the three cyclists, which includes Jessica Lee Hoi-yan and Lo Tsz-chun, had tests done by doctors at a private hospital and results are expected to be known on Thursday.
All three riders returned from Switzerland on Saturday following a short training stint after the track World Championships in Berlin held earlier this month. Lee won a bronze medal in the women's sprint in Berlin as Hong Kong's solitary medal at the meeting.
However, one of the passengers on flight CX382 from Zurich was later found to be a confirmed case, sending alarm bells ringing in the Hong Kong camp.
Lee wrote on social media that there were more than 300 passengers on her flight.
On the bright side, the Sports Institute was told by the Department of Health that there was no need for the riders to be tested because they were not sitting near the infected passenger.
But the Sports Institute decided to play it safe by having the trio tested anyway at their own expense.
With more Hong Kong athletes returning home from overseas training or competition, there could be a spike of positive cases as the city tries to handle a health crisis not seen since the SARS epidemic in 2003.
Hong Kong's athletes are now becoming seriously affected by the coronavirus and Hong Kong karate exponent, Lee Chun-ho, became the first local athlete to contract the illness.
He returned from France via Bangkok recently and local reports said the 28-year-old returned positive for the virus.
Lee confirmed his positive test, saying on social media. "I was told by the doctor today that I am a confirmed case. I went to visit the doctor yesterday after suffering from headache and had phlegm in my throat. The doctor referred me to hospital for further checkup.
"Luckily there is nothing wrong with my lung and suffer no fever. My body also feels okay. I have overcame many difficulties in my career and this is only a small battle in life."
Karate player Lee represented Hong Kong at the 2018 Asian Games. He was in France preparing for the Madrid 1-Premier League in mid April, the last qualification event for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, the event was cancelled last week due to the epidemic and Lee returned to Hong Kong this week.
The Sports Institute also confirmed they would test two gymnasts, Shek Wai-hung and Ng Kiu-chung who returned to Hong Kong on Monday.
Both Shek, who has already qualified in the men's vault for Tokyo this summer and Ng took part in the World Cup series in Baku, Azerbaijan last week. Organisers in Baku called off the final on Saturday after the heats were held two days earlier.
Shek and Ng travelled to Baku and Kuala Lumpur before returning to Hong Kong on flight MH78 on Monday. However, one of the passengers on the flight returned a positive test for the virus on Tuesday. The tests for Shek and Ng are scheduled for Friday.
Hong Kong's top boxer, Rex Tso Sing-yu, is on self-imposed quarantine at home after returning from the Olympic qualifiers in Amman, Jordan. He is staying at home as a precaution after sharing the same flight as a South Korean woman who tested positive for the virus in Macau.
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