Coronavirus: Hong Kong’s fourth wave has started, two top infectious disease experts warn, as more than 30 confirmed and preliminary cases reported

If daily caseloads shoot up exponentially in the next few days, harsher measures may be needed, Professor David Hui says

Centre for Health Protection chief says the government is ‘comprehensively reviewing’ the city’s social-distancing measures

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A number of cases have been linked to the Starlight Dance Club in Wan Chai. Photo: SCMP

Published: 12:19pm, 19 Nov 2020Updated: 12:20am, 20 Nov 2020

Two of Hong Kong’s top infectious disease experts advising the government on the coronavirus pandemic warned on Thursday that the city’s fourth wave of Covid-19 had begun and called for urgent action, after health officials reported more than 30 confirmed and preliminary infections across various districts and sectors.

All non-essential indoor gatherings should be postponed with immediate effect and the public should be prepared to face school closures and to work from home again if caseloads doubled or tripled in the next few days, the experts said.

Health officials did not mince words either in warning of a “rapid and big rebound”, as they confirmed 12 cases and revealed more than 20 preliminary infections. Four of the confirmed cases were locally transmitted, including two without a known source.

Dr Wong Ka-hing, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, said: “Based on the CHP’s information, the situation is increasingly worrying.”

The top CHP official also publicly stated for the first time the government was “comprehensively reviewing” its social-distancing measures.

Among the latest cases were six patrons of a dance club, a taxi driver, a student at a disability centre and a hotel partygoer.

Ecuador and Germany would also be added to the city’s list of high-risk countries, joining 15 others. New arrangements for arrivals from the two countries will come into effect on November 28, meaning travellers need to have a negative Covid-19 test result before coming to the city on top of the current requirement of hotel quarantine for all arrivals from foreign countries.