Health

Hong Kong plans to tighten measures as it breaks records again

Beijing, Jul 23 (efe-epa) .- The Hong Kong government is considering tightening the measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 after this Wednesday, once again, breaking the record of infections in a single day with 113, the local press reports today .

The Chinese autonomous city is immersed in a third wave of infections: according to data from the Center for Health Protection, in the last 14 days, 808 of the 2,132 cases detected since the pandemic began, that is, almost a 38%, similar rate to that of India.

It should be remembered that only 14 deaths from coronavirus have been reported in Hong Kong so far.

Thus, the Secretary of Health, Sophia Chan, indicated today that the mandatory nature of the mask, until now only valid in closed spaces, could be extended outdoors, according to public television RTHK.

Regarding the ban on dining in restaurants, the highest health authority in the region pointed out that there is a possibility that it will harden if it is found that these establishments register a capacity that prevents maintaining safety distances or if there are outbreaks linked to them.

The local newspaper South China Morning Post points out that the government will extend teleworking for its officials for another week, a measure taken last week and which expired this Sunday.

In the first wave of infections, officials who did not provide “essential or urgent services” worked from their homes from the end of January to the beginning of March, although a spike in infections forced them to retake this measure on the 23rd of the same month and remained so until the first days of May.

The authorities are now calling for caution from the population, although according to sources cited by that newspaper, no decreases in the number of users of public transport began to be recorded until last Saturday.

Chan called on Hong Kong people to have “more self-discipline and patience” to avoid the Executive being forced to take “tougher measures.”

Among the latest government decisions is the obligation to wear face masks in all closed places or for residents who return from the United States and Kazakhstan to present negative tests for coronavirus before flying to the city and spend their quarantine in a hotel instead of in his house .

According to official data, Hong Kong is currently China’s hot spot when it comes to coronavirus infections, as an outbreak in the north-eastern province of Xinjiang is active in the mainland of the country, although 18 new ones were confirmed there today. cases, much less than in the old British colony.

In Urumqi, the capital of that region, a massive test campaign was launched to all its population, which has already covered more than 1 million of its 3.5 million inhabitants; So far, 62 confirmed cases and 69 other asymptomatic cases – which China does not include in the total balance sheets – have been detected there since the start of the outbreak on the 15th.

The official media today also echo a possible outbreak in the north-eastern city of Dalian, where between yesterday and today there have been at least three confirmed and twelve asymptomatic cases and the seafood markets have closed – the first of those infections was working at a seafood processing plant – and some subway services have been suspended. EFE-EPA

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