Hong Kong woman who attended high-profile party found guilty of misleading health officials tracing Covid cases

The court also held the accused on a HK$1,000 (US$127) bond and barred her from leaving Hong Kong.

Hung’s birthday party developed into a scandal when it emerged that dozens of senior officials and legislators were among the 225 guests at the host venue in Wan Chai that evening, just days before it was announced that social-distancing measures would be tightened to combat a rise in Covid-19 cases.

Wong was the first guest at the party to test positive for the coronavirus.

Caspar Tsui Ying-wai, the home affairs minister at the time, was the most high-profile official to attend and resigned later that month.

A court also fined the operator of the venue, the Reserva Iberica Tapas Bar and Cafe, HK$6,000 for breaching Covid-19 regulations at catering premises.

Anger, apologies as top Hong Kong officials caught in Covid-19 party scandal

At Wong’s trial last year, the court heard that Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease branch, and two Department of Health nurses had asked the defendant to recount her itinerary on January 3, 2022.

Wong maintained in those conversations that she left her residence in Causeway Bay at around 9pm and took a taxi to the restaurant, where she stayed for about half an hour.

But CCTV footage disproved her account and showed she did not leave her home at the stated time.

In a subsequent interview with health officials, she admitted to visiting a supermarket in Central’s IFC Mall and meeting her friends in Sai Ying Pun before joining the party.

Knowingly giving false information to a health officer is punishable by up to six months imprisonment and a HK$10,000 fine.

Темы и теги

Гонконг Политика

Ковид заблуждение чиновник отслеживание партия профиль виновный здравоохранение женщина гонконг высокий