Coronavirus: Hong Kong government to release more Covid-19 subsidies to those struggling with social-distancing curbs, as city expects 19 new infections

Subsidies due later this month will focus on those hit hard by city's social-distancing curbs, according to No 2 official

Hong Kong's economic revival can begin in earnest once the city is without new infections of unknown origin, another minister says

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Hong Kong is expecting another 19 coronavirus infections or so on Sunday. Photo: May Tse

Published: 11:42am, 13 Sep 2020Updated: 1:57pm, 13 Sep 2020

A new package of Covid-19 relief measures to support businesses and residents is due later this month, Hong Kong's No 2 official has revealed, with 19 new coronavirus infections expected in the city on Sunday.

“The fresh round of subsidies will focus on people who have been hard hit by the social-distancing measures,” Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung wrote on his blog.

In a separate blog, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po became the first government official to set a milestone for the city of eliminating untraceable new infections, saying reaching that point would create the conditions for the economy's revival.

The government had previously announced relief measures worth nearly HK$290 billion (US$37 billion), including a HK$10,000 cash handout to permanent residents, and wage subsidies to help prop up struggling businesses.

Hong Kong’s tally of infections stands at 4,938, with 100 related deaths, after 13 new cases were recorded on Saturday. The Post has learned that about 19 more infections are expected to be recorded the following day.

Meanwhile, Cheung and Chan both made eleventh-hour pleas to residents to take part in the city’s mass testing scheme.

“I urge all residents who have not taken the test, particularly foreign domestic workers and students, to take advantage of the last two days of testing and make a final push to break the virus’ chain of transmission,” Cheung wrote.

As of 10pm Saturday, more than 1.6 million people have had their samples taken. More than 20 people have so far tested positive for the coronavirus under the voluntary scheme, which was earlier extended to Monday.