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Coronavirus: Hong Kong extends ban on non-residents indefinitely as cases rise to 914
- The city extends its ban on arrivals after most cases over past two weeks have come from overseas
- Only six of 24 newly infected are local transmissions, but all are linked to entertainment venues already closed
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Hong Kong extended its airport closure to non-residents indefinitely as the number of coronavirus infections surpassed 900 and a leading microbiologist called for an emergency law requiring all residents to wear masks in public.
The city recorded 24 fresh Covid-19 infections on Monday, nearly all imported, continuing a trend where most recent cases involve travellers. Just six were local transmissions, all involving entertainment venues already shut under a sweeping campaign to limit social gatherings.
But calls are mounting for the closure order to be extended beyond the initial two weeks and even for all non-essential businesses to close.
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Hong Kong now has 914 cases and one listed as probable, more than double the 357 from a fortnight ago, a government spokesman said. Among the newly infected are five residents evacuated from Peru this past weekend after the country locked down its borders weeks ago to contain the contagion. Roughly three-fourths of cases in the past two weeks have been tied to travellers or close contacts of arrivals.
The government will keep in place its current restrictions on travel introduced two weeks ago.
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Returning residents must continue to spend 14 days in isolation at home, while everyone coming from mainland China, Macau or Taiwan will be quarantined in hotels or at home, including Hongkongers.
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