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Coronavirus pandemic
Hong KongHealth & Environment

Hong Kong fourth wave: officials defend tougher testing regime as three more lockdowns ordered, weigh legal action against pregnant woman who evaded quarantine

  • Authorities reveal 27 new cases and say tougher strategy could allow for relaxing of socialising, business curbs after Lunar New Year
  • Government aims to launch testing scheme for city’s 200,000-strong construction workforce by end of February

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A mobile testing centre is set up for residents of Hoi Yu House in Mong Kok. Photo: Winson Wong
Chan Ho-him,Zoe LowandDanny Mok
Large crowds continued to flock to Hong Kong’s shopping malls and markets over the weekend even as health authorities appealed for more social distancing and defended a tougher Covid-19 testing regime, saying compliance was necessary to improve the situation and help ease restrictions after the Lunar New Year period.

The city confirmed 27 new infections on Sunday as Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee urged the public to minimise gatherings over the holiday season, regardless of the recent downward trend in daily cases.

Six of the new cases were untraceable and all three imported ones were from Indonesia, but much of the focus was on the local case of a pregnant woman who could face legal action after evading quarantine despite living together with an infected person.

Authorities locked down Hoi Yu House, Hoi Fu Court, at 2 Hoi Ting Road in Mong Kok, at 7pm, while Wai Lee Building at 997 King’s Road in Quarry Bay was cordoned off 30 minutes later. Infections had been reported in both buildings. Cheong Lok Mansion at 1G-1K Baker Street in Hung Hom was also placed under lockdown at 8pm, with the restriction expected to be lifted at 6.30am on Monday.

The city’s overall infection tally stood at 10,635, with 186 related deaths. About 20 people tested preliminary-positive for the virus on Sunday.

The head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease branch Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan expressed concerns about people letting their guard down during the festive season.

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