Hong Kong saw another 81 coronavirus cases Thursday, marking the third straight day of new infections numbering in the 80s.
Majority of the cases—a total of 59—are related to the rapidly growing dance cluster, bringing the number of infections linked to the group to 311.
13 of the cases have no known source, including a secondary student at a school in Siu Sai Wan. The school will suspend classes and authorities will arrange for students to take COVID-19 tests.
The city entered its fourth virus wave last week amid a swift uptick in cases. Including the numbers today, 451 new infections have been confirmed in the past seven days.
The last time Hong Kong saw new cases in the high double digits was over two months ago in early August, when strict restrictions including a ban on restaurant dine-in after 6pm were in place.
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More than 60 preliminary positive cases were also reported on Thursday.
Earlier this week, authorities mandated the closing of bars and nightclubs in an attempt to curb the spread of the disease. The shutdown goes into effect today for seven days, though the policy is likely to be extended if the virus situation does not significantly improve.
Gatherings have also been capped at a maximum of four people.
Six of the cases today are imported infections from countries including the United States, Russia and Romania.
To date, Hong Kong has recorded 5,948 COVID-19 cases.
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