CE Set To Meet Media Amid Calls For Tighter Curbs

Chief Executive Carrie Lam is to meet the media around 8pm amid reports that the government is going to impose tighter restrictions in the city as Hong Kong battles a new wave of Covid-19 cases.

On Monday, health officials reported 52 new cases of the coronavirus in the city. The Centre for Health Protection's Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan described it as "one of the highest” daily figures recorded in the SAR since the outbreaks started early this year.

In a statement, the government said the Executive Council meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday morning was brought forward to Monday evening.

Lam will meet the media after the meeting.

Infectious disease experts have called on the government to tighten anti-epidemic measures amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in the past week.

Experts say the latest outbreak is more dangerous than what the city experienced in March, when tight social distancing measures were implemented. These included a ban on gatherings of more than four people, shutdown of border crossings and closure of entertainment venues.