An Asian bond issuer, who shall remain unnamed, hosted a going away party for a funding official a couple of weeks ago. The gathering seemed innocuous enough. But as the drinks began to flow and the cigars came out, it's no surprise that masks were soon left to the side, and groups of people came into close contact.
Unfortunately, soon afterwards one of the party guests tested positive for the virus, leaving DCM bankers from the dozen Chinese and international banks that were invited in a limbo of possible virus exposure.
As a result, we now have a DCM Covid cluster. That might sound like an ICMA working group but it’s actually serious news. We wish a speedy recovery to anyone affected.
It's not clear if the party’s patient zero is connected to the other super spreader event that has shaken Hong Kong, where the upper echelon of Tai Tai's circle, allegedly including the wives of the executives at some of the city's largest corporations, have found themselves in a dance club cluster that has now affected more than 500 people.
Hong Kong is now back in lockdown, out of the travel bubble with Singapore and once again a terrible place for a night out. We will all need to remain vigilant as the Christmas break nears. Perhaps start by keeping the dancing to a minimum.