Coronavirus: Hong Kong faces resurgence of imported and community-spread infections as it confirms 16 new cases

Health officials to investigate possible spread in bars, restaurants and gyms of Lan Kwai Fong as at least five patients have been linked to area

Most of the new cases – 11 men and five women – on Thursday had a history of travel to Europe, Britain and Canada

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Health officials are looking into whether the coronavirus has been spreading in Lan Kwai Fong. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 5:17pm, 19 Mar 2020Updated: 2:33pm, 20 Mar 2020

Hong Kong was facing a resurgence of imported as well as community-spread coronavirus infections on Thursday as it confirmed 16 new cases, taking the city’s total to 208.

Health authorities said they would investigate the possible spread of Covid-19 in the bars, restaurants and gyms of Lan Kwai Fong, as at least five coronavirus patients confirmed in the last two days had links to the nightlife hub.

Most of Thursday’s new cases – 11 men and five women, aged 19 to 51 – had a history of travel to Europe, Britain and Canada, which are now among the Western destinations from which Asians returning home across the region are bringing a second wave of infections.

A civil servant working at the North Point Government Offices was among more cases testing positive in preliminary screening.

Another preliminary positive case involved a 57-year-old patient who ate at Princess Margaret Hospital’s canteen before he sought treatment at its accident and emergency unit. The canteen was later disinfected.

Close to midnight, banking giant Goldman Sachs revealed that a worker at its Hong Kong office was listed as a “highly probable case of Covid-19” and sent to hospital. The bank said it would close two floors of its Cheung Kong Center office in Central until further notice.