Coronavirus: Hong Kong records two new cases, both involving men who had recently travelled overseas, bringing tally to 1,035

Hong Kong recorded two new Covid-19 cases on Thursday, marking the 12th day in a row that the city had seen the daily increase of infections remain under double digits.

As the city’s tally rose to 1,035, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable diseases branch, told a press briefing that the new cases involved two men who had a recent history of travel.

They included a 27-year-old who had visited Switzerland and France, and a 58-year-old who returned from the United States.

So far, 286 overseas returnees have been sent to the Regal Oriental Hotel in Kowloon City, which was converted into a facility for airport arrivals in the afternoon or evening to wait for their Covid-19 test results the next day. The arrangement started on Wednesday.

Undersecretary for Food and Health Dr Chui Tak-yi said all those returnees had tested negative for Covid-19.

Dr Lau Ka-hin, chief manager of quality and standards at the Hospital Authority, said 21 more patients had been discharged. In total 699 patients had recovered and returned home.

Hong Kong has recently seen fewer than 10 infections each day while last Monday no new cases were recorded.