A 38-year-old foreign domestic helper living in a detached house in Stanley with a variant virus was diagnosed today (14th). Since she has completed the new crown vaccine and has a positive antibody report, the Hong Kong government allowed her quarantine period to be reduced to 7 days.
However, the reporter of "Hong Kong 01" discovered that the foreign domestic helper who was infected with the epidemic had a blood test for antibodies on July 27, and she had not returned to Hong Kong that day.
In response, the Department of Health confirmed that the domestic helper took blood in the United States and sent the blood sample back to Hong Kong for testing.
According to a person in the laboratory industry, a small number of customers have recently received requests to send blood samples back to Hong Kong for testing, and the Hong Kong government has no express regulations to accept overseas samples.
However, some people in the industry pointed out that it is difficult to verify whether the overseas samples were taken from me, so overseas samples will not be accepted.
The Food and Health Bureau clarified in its reply at night that it cannot accept blood samples taken from outside Hong Kong.
The Bureau and the Department of Health are continuing to follow up the case and do not rule out taking other actions.
The 12032th case is a 38-year-old female patient who is a foreign domestic helper living in a detached house on Stanley Village Road, Stanley.
The picture shows Stanley Plaza.
(Link exhibition website picture)
The 12032th confirmed case was a 38-year-old female patient who was a foreign domestic helper living in a detached house on Stanley Village Road, Stanley.
The patient left Hong Kong for the United States on June 18 and returned to Hong Kong from the United States on August 1.
She had been vaccinated with two doses of Fubital vaccine in Hong Kong on April 7 and April 28, and the blood sample she took on July 27 was detected in a laboratory in Hong Kong for antibodies to the new coronavirus spike protein. positive.
The patient had his blood taken 4 days before arriving in Hong Kong, but the sample can be tested in Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong 01" then asked the Department of Health for the reason, how the patient sent the sample to the Hong Kong Laboratory for testing.
In response to enquiries, the Department of Health admitted that the patient took a blood sample from an American laboratory on July 27, and was sent to Hong Kong via a local laboratory, where it was tested by a laboratory approved by the Hong Kong government. The results showed antibodies to the new coronavirus spike protein. Was positive.
The Department of Health did not disclose the name of the laboratory involved, and according to the government website, there are currently as many as 24 local medical institutions approved by the government to perform COVID-19 antibody tests.
▼A local medical institution approved by the government to do COVID-19 antibody testing▼
Industry: The problem of identity verification is just "say a letter"
One of the accredited laboratories revealed that it did receive a small number of customers from overseas to send blood samples back to Hong Kong for testing. The laboratory will follow the procedures for handling the samples to ensure that the blood does not deteriorate during the transportation process, and report to the customers. It shows that since the sample was not collected in Hong Kong, the report issued may not be accepted by the government.
However, so far the government has not explicitly stipulated that overseas samples cannot be accepted.
As for the issue of identity verification, the laboratory admitted that it was "telling a letter." It also believed that the client had already been vaccinated and had a high chance of having antibodies. There was no reason to use other people's blood to defraud the positive report.
Huang Libao, director of the Hong Kong Molecular Pathology Laboratory Co., Ltd., stated that they would not accept overseas samples because they could not verify whether the samples were taken from them.
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Some industries worry that they cannot verify their identity and refuse to send samples overseas to Hong Kong for testing
Huang Libao, director of the Hong Kong Molecular Pathology Laboratory Co., Ltd., another accredited laboratory, stated clearly that they would not accept overseas samples because they could not verify whether the samples were taken from me.
Zhao Yantao, the founder of the testing company "Xianda Biotechnology", said that because the government only recognizes the antibody report issued by the Hong Kong laboratory, some customers have asked whether they can take blood overseas and send it back to Hong Kong in order to shorten the quarantine period. The company refused, "It is impossible to do it, because I don't know the blood of the pack!" He said that the laboratory industry also has codes and standard operating procedures (SOP) to ensure that the samples come from me, so the company refuses to accept overseas sample.
Zhao Yantao, the founder of the testing company "Xinda Biotechnology", said that since the current government only recognizes the antibody report issued by the Hong Kong Laboratory, some customers have inquired whether they can take blood overseas and send it back to Hong Kong in order to shorten the quarantine period. The company refused.
(Photo/Photo by Luo Guohui)
Liang Zichao: This case is unusual and unstable
Respiratory specialist Liang Zichao said that if citizens take blood overseas and send the samples back to Hong Kong for testing, it will be more difficult to confirm their identity. This case is unusual and unstable.
He pointed out that because the mutant virus is currently rampant and affects the protection of the vaccine, even if the antibody is tested positive, it does not mean that the vaccine protects the public from the mutant virus. It is also unknown whether the antibody level in the person's body is sufficient to protect him from infection. The test itself has the problem of "congenital deficiency".
The Department of Health confirmed that the infected foreign domestic helper took blood in the United States and sent the blood sample back to Hong Kong for testing.
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FHB clarified that it cannot accept blood samples taken from outside Hong Kong
In response to the enquiry of "Hong Kong 01", the Food and Health Bureau stated that the antibody test arrangement will be implemented on June 30. The public can receive an approved antibody test in Hong Kong before leaving the country. The relevant results prove that it can be used for mandatory enforcement when returning to Hong Kong. Quarantine requirements.
The bureau has reminded all private laboratories that are approved to conduct antibody testing about the above requirements and cannot accept blood samples taken from outside Hong Kong.
The Food and Health Bureau and the Department of Health are continuing to follow up the case and do not rule out taking other actions.
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