HONG KONG: A Hong Kong lawmaker, who posed for a group photo with Xi Jinping during the Chinese president’s visit to the former British colony on June 30, has tested positive for COVID-19, media reported. Steve Ho Chun-yin, who stood a line behind Xi, said on Thursday that he tested negative when he took part in a photo session during the ceremony. The MLA said he tested mildly positive on Friday and had to retire. According to a statement on his official Facebook page, he did not attend any anniversary celebrations that day.
He then tested positive for the virus on Sunday, CNN reported. Xi visited Hong Kong under strict security measures to mark the 25th anniversary of the city’s handover from Britain in his first visit outside mainland China since the outbreak of the pandemic.
China has thrown a media shield around Xi’s visit to Hong Kong and banned journalists from major international media organizations. John Lee was sworn in as chief executive of Hong Kong’s sixth term in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping, a move to signal that Beijing has the former British colony under its control after 25 years.
The oath was administered by Xi, who had come here to attend a meeting to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the “homeland” and the opening ceremony of Hong Kong’s sixth government, Xinhua news agency reported. .
The Chinese prime minister arrived in a city of major change three years ago, as millions took to the streets to challenge Beijing’s governance in decades, the New York Times (NYT) reported. China has acted ‘for the good of Hong Kong’ and has no reason to change the ‘one country, two system’,” Xi Jinping said.
The fact that someone who came into contact with Xi tested positive for the virus would be seen as a blow to the Hong Kong administration, which has spent a lot of time and resources preparing for the trip and trying to ensure Trying to make it covid-free. The border between Hong Kong and mainland China is largely sealed because of the virus.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong on Sunday said it will distribute around 290,000 sets of COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits as part of a follow-up action on the recent detection of coronavirus in sewage samples. Test kits will be distributed to help identify infected individuals, reports Xinhua. Positive sewage test results of residents, sanitation workers and property management staff show relatively high viral loads.