Hong Kong suspends officials, isolates some 170 party guests

By ZEN SOO and KATIE TAM
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities have suspended several government officials from duty and will order about 170 people to be quarantined at a government facility after they attended a birthday party where two guests later tested positive for the coronavirus. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said in a statement Friday that the government officials who were at the party and who are subject to quarantine would be suspended and must use their vacation days while they are isolated. Health authorities say all guests at the Jan. 3 party will be classified as close contacts and be sent to mandatory quarantine. The city has been racing to control the omicron variant, with authorities locking down multiple residential buildings for mass testing and sending hundreds of people into quarantine.