Top Hong Kong official resigns over birthday party fiasco

HONG KONG (AP) — A top Hong Kong official has resigned after he attended a birthday party with 200 guests, at least one of whom later tested positive for the coronavirus. Cabinet member Caspar Tsui says he did not “set the best example during the recent outbreak” and was resigning to take responsibility. Tsui and dozens of other officials and lawmakers were ordered to quarantine after the party Jan. 3. At the time, Hong Kong was seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases and officials were urging the public to avoid large gatherings. Hong Kong leader Lam said Tsui’s conduct “brought the Hong Kong government into disrepute” and that his resignation was “the right thing to do.”