Press Release

CSD responds on case involving lawyer who visited persons in custody preliminarily testing positive for COVID-19

     The Correctional Services Department gave the following response today (July 21) on a case involving a lawyer who visited persons in custody preliminarily testing positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as covered by the media this morning:

     ​According to the visit records, the lawyer conducted an official visit to two remand persons in custody in Stanley Prison on July 3 and 4 and one remand person in custody in Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre on July 11.

     In view of the development of COVID-19, the department has enhanced the prevention and disinfection measures for official visits since late March. They include:

1. Measuring the body temperature of official visitors;

2. Requiring official visitors to fill in a health declaration form;

3. Requiring official visitors and persons in custody to wear masks during visits;

4. Installing transparent plastic partitions in official visit rooms to prevent transmission of respiratory droplets between official visitors and persons in custody during visits; and

5. Adding two periods of cleaning and disinfection for official visit rooms in the morning and the afternoon, on top of the regular cleaning routine.

     The persons in custody concerned are currently asymptomatic. The department immediately separated the persons in custody concerned and placed them under medical surveillance. Furthermore, the facilities concerned have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The department will closely liaise with the Centre for Health Protection and monitor the situation.

Ends/Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Issued at HKT 17:45