Social distancing measures, including the post-6pm restaurant dining ban and a cap on gatherings larger than two people, are expected to be extended despite a sharp fall in cases Monday.
According to Hong Kong Economic Times, the restrictions, which expire tomorrow, are likely to be renewed for another week.
Hong Kong recorded just 9 new coronavirus infections today, including two imported cases from Switzerland and the Philippines. Of the local infections, four have no known transmission source.
The figures are the lowest in seven weeks—the last time the daily increase was below ten was July 3, when five infections were confirmed before the numbers spiked dramatically.
“The cases today are in the single digits, but the preliminary positive cases are in the double digits. Oftentimes there will be ups and downs [in the number of cases]. But overall, the numbers are going down,” said Chuang Shuk-kwan, Head of the Center for Health Protection’s Communicable Disease Branch.
“Though from a public health perspective, the epidemic is still not under control,” Chuang said.
The government’s universal testing scheme will begin next week. Starting September 1, citizens can go to one of the 150 designated locations in the city for a free, one-off COVID-19 test.
“By doing the universal testing, we may be able to find some unknown cases and see how we can trace them and cut off the transmission chain,” Chuang added.
Since July 15, restaurants have not been allowed to offer dine-in services after 6pm as part of the authorities’ tightened social distancing measures.
With many businesses suffering significant decline, representatives of the battered F&B industry have called on the government to relax restrictions. Some have suggested that dine-in services can be banned from 8pm onwards, and the maximum diners per table can be increased from two to four, to help restaurants recover some of their losses.
To date, Hong Kong has confirmed over 4,690 COVID-19 cases. 77 people have died of virus-related complications.
