Hong Kong reported 73 more coronavirus cases in the city Monday, setting a three-month high as the city sees the start of another virus wave.
Among the new infections, 63 are local cases. They include 50 patients whose infections are linked to the rapidly growing dance group cluster, bringing the total number of cases in the group to 132.
The cluster is believed to have begun at Starlight Dance Club, a dance venue in Wan Chai. Students and teachers who were likely infected there also visited close to two dozen other spots in the city, including in Sheung Wan, Tsim Sha Tsui, Sham Shui Po and Sha Tin.
Over the weekend, the government ordered mandatory testing for those who have visited the infected dance venues this month, citing Starlight as a potential “superspreader.”
It also announced that the city would allow COVID-19 patients to apply for a HK$5,000 (US$645) subsidy going forward. The scheme targets the city’s low-income residents. The policy, authorities said, is meant to encourage people to get tested and put aside concerns about a loss in salary if they are infected and hospitalized. (The incentive has been met with criticism over whether some may abuse the payout.)
A total of eight infections have no known transmission links. Another 10 are patients with recent travel history.
Authorities also reported at least 70 preliminary cases.
The surge in COVID-19 cases coincides with influenza season, which earlier this month prompted the two-week, city-wide closure of kindergartens after outbreaks at almost 180 schools were recorded.
Last Friday, the Education Bureau announced that the shutdown would be extended and expanded to include the suspension of classes for Primary One to Primary Three students.
The sharp rise in cases forced authorities to halt Hong Kong’s long-awaited travel bubble with Singapore, which would have allowed quarantine-free travel between the two cities, on Saturday—just one day before it was slated to begin.
Hong Kong has recorded a total of 5,702 cases to date. During the peak of the third COVID-19 wave, new cases soared to over 100 per day for almost two weeks.
