Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3081253/coronavirus-hong-kong-records-two-new-cases-both Health & Environment
Coronavirus: Hong Kong records two new cases, both involving men who had recently travelled overseas, bringing tally to 1,035
- Man, 27, had visited Switzerland and France while 58-year-old returned from the United States
- So far, 286 overseas returnees have been sent to Regal Oriental Hotel, which has been converted into a facility for airport arrivals to wait for test results
Hong Kong has done well at containing the disease, experts say. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
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.
Two medical experts said on Thursday morning that the city could relax some of its social-distancing measures by early next month, as transmission of the coronavirus had waned with most local cases now traceable.
They included Dr Ho Pak-leung from the University of Hong Kong, who said some control measures could be lifted after May 7.
Professor David Hui Shu-cheong from Chinese University said the city was doing well in containing another community outbreak. He also said Hong Kong could relax some of its measures, such as resuming work for all civil servants and reopening some closed premises, if local cases were limited over the next two weeks.