Covid Measures Won't Change As Cases Go Up: CE

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday all social distancing measures, including border control restrictions, will remain unchanged until her term ends at the end of this month after a recent rise in Covid infections.

And following an increase in false-positive cases, she announced that from now on, people who report positive results through rapid at-home tests will be required to undergo a PCR test to confirm their infection.

The daily caseload in Hong Kong has hovered around 500 in recent days, up from about 200 to 300 in the past month.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lam described the Covid situation as "concerning" while indicating it's too early to say if Hong Kong is heading towards another wave of infections.

"As a result of the increase in positive cases and since we have allowed confirmed cases, that is infected people, to stay at home where appropriate for home isolation, it is only natural or inevitable that some of the indicators will also go up, for example the viral load in the sewage," she said.

"For the time being, it is a bit too early to say that we are now confronting a sixth wave of Covid-19 epidemic because it needs a lot more indicators in order to confirm the situation."

The chief executive added she will be meeting with experts who advise the government on the pandemic to discuss the situation.

While there won't be a further easing of curbs for now, Lam also said they won't be tightened unless there's another major outbreak. She said most people will agree that Hong Kong should continue to return to normality, albeit at a slower pace.

Separately, she said the government will do its best to create the conditions for central government leaders to visit the SAR marking the upcoming 25th anniversary of the handover amid the pandemic.

But any such trips have not been confirmed yet. "I cannot confirm at this moment that there will be a visit by the president of our country," Lam said.

The CE added that given what happened here during her five-year term, central government leaders will be making important speeches on the future direction of the SAR should they visit the city.