Social distancing is back in HK amid virus spike
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HONG Kong reimposed social distancing measures yesterday to combat a sudden spike in coronavirus infections, banning more than four people from gathering in public, shuttering some businesses and restricting restaurants from catering to evening diners.
The city has had impressive success in tackling the disease with just over 1,400 infections and eight deaths. In the last two months, local transmissions had all but ended.
However, in the last two weeks a cluster of local infections has emerged and officials believe the disease is spreading undetected in the densely populated city of 7.5 million. The Center for Health Protection reported 41 new local infections, a new high since the COVID-19 outbreak.
City leader Carrie Lam announced fresh anti-virus measures yesterday. Alongside a ban on more than four people gathering in public, restaurants will only be able to serve takeaway food from 6pm to 5am.
Twelve types of businesses including gyms, beauty salons, nightclubs and karaoke venues must close.
Hong Kong people have widely adopted face masks to deal with the pandemic but yesterday authorities made wearing face coverings on public transport mandatory for the first time.
Border control will also become stricter to prevent imported cases, as inbound visitors, who have traveled to high-risk areas during the past 14 days, should have tested negative for the new coronavirus before boarding flights to Hong Kong. The new measures will be looked at again in seven days, Lam said.
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