Coronavirus: Hong Kong reports 4 cases after day of zero infections as social-distancing rules extended
- Bars and other leisure spots to remain closed but restaurants no longer restricted to operating at half capacity
- All of the latest infections were arrivals either from the United States or Britain
Leisure and sports venues would remain shut until at least May 7, although restrictions on restaurants would be partially eased, officials said.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said that despite no new infections being recorded on Monday, the closures and ban on group gatherings of more than four people were still needed as the city battled the pandemic, which had infected 1,029 people.
“This is not the time to be complacent,” Lam warned. “If we relax, the good work that we have done will be in vain. That’s why the bans, that would have expired on April 23, will now be extended by two weeks.”
Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch at the Centre for Health Protection, also pointed to the risk of “silent transmission” by asymptomatic carriers who spread the virus without knowing it.
