Domestic helpers denied treatment, forced to sleep rough after testing positive during Hong Kong’s fifth coronavirus wave
- NGOs report at least 10 cases of domestic workers requesting shelter or medical help after testing positive for coronavirus
- Philippine, Indonesian consulates and local authorities warn employers of legal violations if they break contracts with infected helpers
At least 10 foreign domestic workers were forced to sleep on the streets or denied treatment after testing positive for the coronavirus amid a surge in infections in Hong Kong, several migrant workers rights groups warned on Friday.
Charities and rights groups have sounded alarm bells after several domestic workers were abandoned when they tested positive, with a lack of government assistance forcing NGOs to step in to help.
Anna*, 35, was left to sleep at a park in Yau Ma Tei for two nights after receiving an SMS message confirming she had contracted the coronavirus on Tuesday. She was due to fly back to the Philippines on Wednesday following a visa denial.
“I felt cold, I was shaking,” Anna said, referring to her nights of sleeping rough.
She queued up at a public hospital for 10 hours but was turned away because the facility was at full capacity. She was then advised to quarantine at home as she had no symptoms. She also tried to reach out to the Philippine consulate for help.
Thanks to the efforts of multiple NGOs, Anna was finally placed at a shelter yesterday, and was able to take a rapid antigen test that produced a negative result.