Social distancing measures extended to Jan. 27

Existing social distancing measures will remain in effect for another seven days to curb the spread of Covid-19 in Hong Kong, health authorities said.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the local coronavirus situation made it apparent that there is no room to relax the measures, which were set to expire on Thursday.

Undersecretary for Food and Health Chui Tak-yi said in the afternoon coronavirus briefing that 365 of the 381 Covid-19 cases recorded from Jan. 12 to 18 were locally transmitted.

He added that 33% percent of the cases in the past two weeks showed no signs of infection.

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Hong Kong saw a rebound in Covid-19 infections after a mandatory testing order imposed in an area in the Yau Tsim Mong district detected dozens of Covid-19 cases.

In order to contain the outbreak in the locale, Lam said authorities will ramp up testing in the Yau Ma Tei-Jordan area.

The Chief Executive revealed a mandatory testing order will be issued for three-nil buildings and buildings with poor environments and bad management in that area.

Three-nil buildings refer to buildings without owners’ corporations, or any form of residents’ organisations, or have not engaged property management companies.

Residents of 70 buildings inside a specified “core area” within the previously bordered zone in Yau Ma Tei and Jordan placed under mandatory testing will have to get tested—even if their building did not have any confirmed Covid-19 case.

Chui said the “core area” is bordered by Pak Hoi Street to the north, Temple Street to the east, Ning Po Street to the south, and Reclamation Street to the west.

Lam added a building outside the “core area” will also be placed under mandatory testing has sewage samples that test positive for the coronavirus in three consecutive days.

Testing will also be ramped up in Sham Shui Po: if a building posts a Covid-19 case, residents from there will have to get tested for Covid-19.

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