Covid-19 test snares Hong Kong pair who entered mainland China illegally
- Drive to Chenzhou follows illegal boat ride into Zhuhai, but hotel wait for Covid-19 test result spells end of travel plans
- Mainland social media users highlight the irony of reverse people-smuggling as Covid-19 cases soar in Hong Kong
The pair took an illegal boat ride into Zhuhai in Hong Kong’s neighbouring Guangdong province, but were soon caught out by stringent pandemic control measures across the border.
After arriving in Zhuhai around 6am on Monday, they got into a prearranged car and drove northwards, arriving in the Hunan city of Chenzhou that afternoon, according to local police.
No boat services are currently offered between Zhuhai and Hong Kong, due to border closures as part of Covid-19 prevention measures.
01:04
Hong Kong hospitals set up outdoor wards as city buckles under rising coronavirus infections
After arriving in Chenzhou, the two drove to a hospital for a Covid-19 nucleic acid test, essential in the mainland for travelling across regions. They then checked into a hotel to await their results, after dining at a popular chain restaurant and buying cigarettes at a nearby store.
On Tuesday morning, as their test results came back positive, they were quickly rounded up by Chenzhou authorities and transferred to a designated hospital for quarantine and treatment. A police notice the following day said they had been arrested for illegal entry.