Hong Kong coronavirus fourth wave: snap lockdown of North Point buildings eased for workers, as testing reveals no new cases so far
- Chief Executive Carrie Lam spends 15 minutes in the area for a briefing from health officials and to show support for workers
- Residents of four North Point tenement buildings locked down for testing overnight, with restrictions relaxing from 7am on Friday
Residents under a Hong Kong “ambush-style” lockdown were allowed to leave the cordoned-off area in North Point for work early on Friday, as the government revealed no new Covid-19 cases had been detected so far in the operation.
The third such operation in six days was launched as 39 new infections were confirmed citywide, all but one locally transmitted and including 20 untraceable cases.
As part of the government’s ramped-up campaign to contain the latest outbreaks, residents of blocks A to D of Tung Fat Building in North Point were told they would have to be tested from 7pm until 2am, before the lockdown would be lifted at 7am on Friday.
Those residents testing negative for the coronavirus were given the all-clear to leave the locality for work purposes from 7am.
But authorities have yet to officially lift the restrictions, with officers still taking enforcement action in the area to ensure everyone there has been tested.
A total of 475 residents have been screened during the lockdown of 660 households, according to a government statement.