Cathay Pacific cargo pilot tests preliminary-positive for Covid-19 in Hong Kong after flying from Frankfurt, triggering lockdown
- The latest case comes after two other pilots flying from Frankfurt to Hong Kong tested positive just days ago, forcing nearly 200 people into isolation
- Cathay to move aircrew to new hotel in German city, but infections add to concerns that exemptions for cargo aircrew pose risk to Hong Kong
The 53-year-old aircrew member was found to be carrying the L452R mutant strain linked to the more infectious Delta variant after returning to Hong Kong on November 7, the Centre for Health Protection revealed on Saturday.
Cargo pilots are exempt from hotel quarantine, but after two other Cathay ones tested positive with the Delta variant earlier this week, fears are growing that the special treatment could spark new community cases and derail the city’s efforts to match mainland China’s zero-Covid approach and fully reopen the border.
Authorities on Friday said it would be mandatory for all local aircrew to receive Covid-19 booster shots, while requiring those who operated cargo flights to be tested daily and placed under stricter monitoring at outports.
Following the emergence of the latest case, Hong Kong’s flagship airline said that all flight crews were fully vaccinated and the company was conducting a thorough internal investigation into the cases involving cargo flight workers.
