Social distancing measures extended as HK records 44 new COVID-19 cases
Gatherings of more than two will stay banned for another week as Hong Kong health authorities record 44 new coronavirus cases on Monday.
Thirteen of the cases are imported: two domestic workers from Indonesia, eight returnees from India, a seafarer and a returnee from Russia, and another man from Ethiopia.
Of the 31 local transmissions, the sources of infection for 11 cases are still unknown. Dr. Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection. Among those is the third Indonesian domestic worker to have tested positive following a stay in Cheung Hing Mansion in Mong Kok. She tested preliminary positive on Sunday.
Two more workers from the Kwai Chung container terminal tested positive, bringing the total number of confirmed infections from the port to 57. Chuang clarified these cases had no links to Wang Kee Port Operations Services, which accounted for 33 confirmed cases on Sunday.
One of the cases involves a 33-year-old IT worker who tested positive in March. He tested negative for the virus in April, but went on a trip to Spain from Aug. 6 to 15. He tested positive again upon arrival in Hong Kong.
The total number of cases in the city is now at 4,524. The death toll has stayed at 69, with no reported deaths due to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.
With these figures, the Hong Kong government will extend the social distancing measures—including prohibiting gatherings of more than two and requiring the use of masks in public—until Aug. 25.
“We understand that people are getting impatient over the prolonged quasi-lockdowns and they wish to start resuming social and economic activities,” a government spokesman said. “However, it is not yet the time for relaxation and there is no room for complacency in epidemic control.”
Even though it has been two weeks since Hong Kong has had more than 100 daily cases, the spokesman said new cases with unknown sources of infection are still at 40 percent.
The extension comes as the city gears up for voluntary city-wide testing.