Hong Kong official resigns for attending party amid COVID-19 surge

A top official in Hong Kong resigned on Monday after attending a party earlier this month despite an uptick in COVID-19 numbers in the area and the tightening of related restrictions.

“I will take responsibility for my actions, and I have therefore decided to resign from the position of Secretary for Home Affairs,” Caspar Tsui said on Monday, according to The Associated Press.

Tsui resigned after attending a birthday party for Witman Hung, a delegate to China’s legislature, along with 200 other guests. At least one of the guests later tested positive for the virus, the AP reported. 

Tsui, who was one of several lawmakers to undergo quarantine orders after the gathering, admitted on Monday that he did not “set the best example during the recent outbreak.”

“I made the wrong decision to attend a banquet on January 3 and behaved in an inappropriate manner when all efforts should have been devoted to controlling the spread of the virus,” he added.

His resignation came just hours before Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam was expected to announce the results of an investigation into officials who had attended the party. Lam has voiced disappointment about the lawmakers’ behavior and ordered that those who were in quarantine leave their duties.

Last week, Hong Kong heightened its COVID-19 related restrictions after hundreds of infections were detected at a public housing complex.

After the discovery, the housing block where the complex is located increased lockdown measures already in place, reimplemented restrictions on local schools and restaurants and ordered compulsory testing.