Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang and director of the Leader Govt’s Workplace Eric Chan each examined certain via nucleic acid checks and are present process isolation, a Hong Kong executive commentary mentioned on Thursday.
Their infections raised issues over a possible discuss with through state leaders for the town’s July 1 celebrations, which come with the swearing in of Hong Kong’s new chief and the anniversary of its 1997 handover from British rule.
It additionally casts doubt at the robustness of the town’s “closed-loop” association, which calls for officers to steer clear of public engagements and input quarantine forward of the deliberate ceremonies.
As China sticks to a byzantine manner of snap lockdowns, mass trying out and quarantining to handle its zero-Covid coverage, Chinese language officers seem to be taking further precautions to not catch the virus.
Xi has now not left mainland China because the outbreak of the pandemic greater than two years in the past. And even though whether or not he’ll attend the handover rite stays a tightly guarded secret, the Hong Kong executive has began to organize for the coming of a delegation of state leaders from around the nonetheless in large part sealed border with the mainland.
Best Hong Kong officers entered the closed loop machine on Thursday, underneath which they are able to handiest shuttle between house and paintings through personal car and will have to spend an evening in a quarantine resort at the eve of the handover anniversary. They’re additionally topic to day by day trying out for Covid-19.
“Mr Tsang and Mr Chan remaining went to paintings on June 22 and June 20 respectively. They wore mask and adopted related illness prevention measures at paintings, together with fast antigen checks performed day by day with unfavorable effects acquired. They’ve no fresh shuttle historical past,” the federal government commentary mentioned.
The commentary made no point out of the 2 officers’ signs.
Chan is ready to turn out to be the town’s No. 2 professional on July 1, as incoming Hong Kong chief John Lee takes the helm.
Regardless of prime vaccination charges and a discount in general circumstances, the Hong Kong executive stays dedicated to its personal “0 Covid” taste coverage, keeping up stringent social distancing and speak to tracing measures, in addition to tight border restrictions — together with a compulsory seven day resort quarantine for all arrivals.
Further reporting through CNN’s Martin Goillandeau and Hannah Ritchie.
