Hong Kong's new crown pneumonia epidemic has eased, but there have been outbreaks in many schools.
The Centre for Health Protection announced today (24th) that there were six confirmed cases at St. Catherine's International Kindergarten in Kowloon Tong, including four students in the afternoon class in the same class and one who was teaching the same class. Teacher, and in the morning class sharing the room with the class, a new student was infected with the virus.
The Center for Health Protection also stated that the infected teacher had mild upper respiratory symptoms on Friday (20th), earlier than the infected students. However, because the teacher was negative in the rapid test on the same day, he continued to go to school, but it is not yet possible to judge. Whether the teacher is the source.
The center also believes that it cannot be ruled out that the confirmed students were infected in the classroom. Due to the recent onset time and no connection with other community cases, "it seems that there are small groups in the classroom."
The authorities have also suggested that a total of 59 students in the morning and afternoon classes who had attended classes in this room should be suspended until this Friday (27th), and rapid testing should be done every day.
▼May 24 St. Catherine's International Kindergarten Outbreak▼
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Received 18 cases reported by schools today, involving 18 teachers and students from 13 schools
Au Ka-wing, chief physician of the Infectious Diseases Division of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, announced at a press conference on the outbreak that 18 schools reported positive cases today, involving 13 schools, 16 students and two staff members.
In terms of sampling, seven cases were taken yesterday (23rd), and 11 cases were tested positive in the samples taken this morning.
Kindergartens reported nine positive cases involving four schools; primary schools reported one case involving one student; secondary schools reported eight cases involving eight students.
Among the cases reported by kindergartens, six were from the International English Kindergarten located on Norfolk Road, four were reported yesterday afternoon, and two were reported this morning.
The four cases reported yesterday were all from the same afternoon class with a total of 29 students.
One of the four infected students became ill on May 22, and the other three became ill on May 23.
The last school day of the four was on May 20, and each of them received a shot of the vaccine.
▼On May 23, the HKU Alumni Association College will have classes as usual▼
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Students in the morning and afternoon classes involved in the epidemic have to take quick tests every day during the suspension of classes
Au Jiarong said that the school reported two more cases this morning, one of which was an afternoon class teacher with four confirmed cases.
The teacher developed mild upper respiratory symptoms last Friday, but the rapid test was negative. He also went to school yesterday, and the rapid test was also negative. However, due to a cluster of cases in the school, the teacher tested positive for nucleic acid yesterday.
In addition, the school reported another case this morning, involving a student in the morning school whose class room was the same as the classroom where the outbreak occurred in the afternoon school, and the infected teacher also taught the morning school.
The morning classmate has symptoms since today, and the rapid test was positive.
Au Jiarong pointed out that the authorities have gone to the school to collect environmental samples for investigation. For the sake of prudence, a total of 59 students in the classroom and afternoon classes in the class have been suspended until Friday, and rapid testing is required every day.
Au Ka-wing: Six samples have been taken for investigation
Au Jiarong emphasized that the kindergarten has 30 classes in the morning and afternoon, involving more than 1,000 students. Except for the reported cases of infection, the rest of the students and staff are all negative. According to the preliminary investigation, the current cases are concentrated in one classroom. As for whether the environment The pollution caused depends on the results of environmental samples. The authorities have taken six samples for investigation, including the desks in the classrooms.
When asked if students wear masks in the classroom?
Ou pointed out that because the students are young, "even if you wear a mask, there is a chance that personal hygiene or masks may not be worn well, and there may be a risk of transmission." However, for the time being, the risk is considered low.
When asked that the infected teacher was the first person in the group to show symptoms, is the teacher the source of the group?
Ou Jiarong responded that the source of the teacher could not be determined at present, and further genetic analysis was required. Although the teacher had mild upper respiratory symptoms last Friday, because the rapid test was negative, he continued to go to school last Friday and yesterday. The nucleic acid test was carried out as required by the school yesterday, and the result was positive.
He also pointed out that "of course, the rapid test is very accurate, but the sensitivity is always high without nucleic acid. It is recommended that anyone who has symptoms, even if the rapid test is negative, should not learn it. There is a chance that the rapid test may not be able to detect it immediately."
He also believes that it is safer to go to school when there are no symptoms, and the confirmed teacher only teaches the class where the case occurred, and does not teach other classes.
By the end of school time, although the Department of Health announced a suspected outbreak, the atmosphere at the scene was not particularly tense.
(Photo by Ma Weijie)
Parents: Children will continue to go to school without further protests
By the end of school, although the Department of Health announced a suspected outbreak, the atmosphere at the scene was not particularly tense.
Ms. Zhang, who picks up the children from school, believes that even though the confirmed teacher returned to school yesterday, it is not the class that teaches the children, so she is not worried. "In fact, you have to coexist with the virus, and you have nothing to avoid." She also said I have considered taking time off for the children to avoid being infected in school, but today announced that classes in the affected classes have been suspended and will not come into contact with those students. Therefore, unless there is further resistance, the children will continue to go to school.
Regarding the school's suspected outbreak and the need to suspend classes for two classes, Mrs. Xu said that she and her children have both been diagnosed, so she is not worried at all. , Mrs. Xu believes that whether there is a need to watch classes depends on parents and children. "It's really shocking to have a terrier," and she said, "I'm not surprised."
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