Hong Kong chief orders probe of 13 officers who went to Covid-hit get together

Hong Kong chief Carrie Lam has ordered an inquiry into the behaviour of 13 senior authorities officers who attended the birthday bash of a delegate to China’s legislature, the place two of the 170 company examined optimistic for the coronavirus.

The officers, together with 19 members of Hong Kong’s new “patriots-only” legislative council – all of whom have up to now examined unfavourable – and the opposite company had been despatched to a quarantine facility this week as authorities scramble to include the emergence of a brand new wave of instances.Lam mentioned in a late Friday assertion she ordered “detailed” investigations “as to whether the attendance of 13 officials at the banquet constitutes any breach of discipline.””I have instructed all officials being subject to quarantine that they should not continue to discharge their duties and that they are required to take their own vacation leave for quarantine.”The get together for the 53rd birthday of Witman Hung, a metropolis delegate to the nationwide legislature, befell on Monday, earlier than new restrictions on social life got here into power however after Lam appealed to Hong Kong individuals to keep away from giant gatherings.A 3-month streak of no transmission throughout the group ended on Dec. 31, with the affirmation of town’s first native an infection with the fast-spreading Omicron variant.READ | Once in, there is not any out quickly: Here’s what occurs inside Hong Kong’s Covid isolation wardsSeveral extra instances have been detected since and tons of of their shut contacts have been despatched to quarantine.Senior officers who attended included Home Affairs Secretary Casper Tsui, Director of Immigration Au Ka-wang, police commissioner Raymond Siu and the top of town’s Independent Commission towards Corruption, Simon Peh, authorities mentioned.All 4 and others have issued public apologies.It was the second such assertion for Au, who paid a nice final yr for attending a dinner in a luxurious personal membership with extra individuals than the 4 allowed on the time.The international monetary hub is likely one of the world’s final locations to stay to a objective of stopping native transmission of the virus altogether, by strict quarantines and largely isolating itself from the remainder of the world.The metropolis on Friday banned eating in eating places after 6 pm, closed venues together with bars and golf equipment, gyms, magnificence salons and swimming swimming pools, and restricted group gatherings to not more than 4 individuals.READ | Thousands held on Hong Kong cruise ship for Covid testing