Hong Kong officials tested positive for Covid, which called into question Xi’s potential visit

Secretary of Constitutional and Continental Affairs Eric Tsang and Chief Executive Officer Eric Chan have tested positive for nucleic acid and are undergoing isolation, the Hong Kong government said in a statement on Thursday.

Their infections have raised concerns about a potential visit by state leaders for the July 1 city celebrations, which include the swearing-in of Hong Kong’s new leader and the anniversary of his extradition from the British government in 1997.

This also calls into question the stability of the city’s “closed” scheme, which requires employees to avoid public engagements and quarantine before scheduled ceremonies.

As China adheres to a Byzantine approach to rapid blockade, mass tests and quarantine to maintain its zero-Covid policy, Chinese officials appear to be taking extra precautions to avoid catching the virus.

Xi has not left mainland China since the pandemic erupted more than two years ago. And whether he will attend the handover ceremony remains a closely guarded secret, the Hong Kong government has begun preparing for the arrival of a delegation of state leaders on the other side of the still largely sealed border with the continent.

Hong Kong senior officials entered a closed system on Thursday that allows them to travel between home and work with only private vehicles and must spend a night in a quarantined hotel on the eve of the show’s anniversary. They are also subject to daily testing for Covid-19.

“Mr. Tsang and Mr. Chan last went to work on June 22 and 20, respectively. They wore masks and followed appropriate measures to prevent disease at work, including rapid antigen tests performed daily with negative results. They do not have a recent travel history, “a government statement said.

The statement did not mention the symptoms of the two employees.

Chan is set to become the city’s No. 2 clerk on July 1 as Hong Kong’s new leader, John Lee, takes the helm.

Despite high levels of vaccination and declining overall cases, the Hong Kong government remains committed to its own zero-Covid policy, maintaining strict measures for social distancing and contact tracing, as well as strict border restrictions – including a mandatory seven-day hotel quarantine for all arrivals.

Additional reports by CNN’s Martin Goylando and Hannah Richie.