Classes suspended until after Christmas as COVID-19 cases hit 115

November 29, 2020

The Centre for Health Protection in Kowloon City.

All in-person classes for kindergartens, primary and secondary schools will be suspended starting Wednesday, as Hong Kong’s confirmed 115 new COVID-19 infections on Sunday.

Of the 115, 62 were linked to the dance cluster. The cluster now has 479 infections.

Sunday’s tally marks the city’s highest number of cases since Aug. 1, when 125 infections were recorded.

Schools also saw more infections. Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan in her daily situation report said a 16-year-old female student from St. Clare’s Primary School tested positive for COVID-19. Her relative, who works in St. Paul Co-ed, will be tested.

The suspension came after the Education Bureau (EDB) already called off face-to-face classes for primary one to three students up until Dec. 6.

In a statement Sunday, the EDB said tutorial schools will also have to suspend classes for two weeks. During the suspension, various learning modes should be implemented.

Schools will remain open for students who do not have carers at home in the day.

The government will also require the diners of three restaurants—8½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA in Central; Stellar House in Wan Chai; and Chuen Cheung Kui in Sheung Wan—who have eaten there from Nov. 15 to get tested after several cases were detected in those establishments.

There were 23 COVID-19 cases related to previous confirmed ones on Sunday, and 24 new infections with unknown origins. More than 50 people tested preliminarily positive for the virus.

Chuang reiterated that the rising infection trend is “alarming.”

“It seems that the situation of this wave is more widespread than the third wave. People of different backgrounds got infected,” she said.

But Chuang said Hong Kong’s testing capability has improved since the third wave, and she said she hopes that this will make it easier to detect infections and curb the spread of COVID-19 during the fourth one.

Still, she advised locals to refrain from going to or arranging unnecessary gatherings.

Four of the imported cases hailed from Indonesia, while one flew in from Ukraine and another from the United States.

Hong Kong has recorded 6,239 COVID-19 infections to date.