Covid Spreads Again In HK, But No New Curbs Planned

Authorities confirmed on Wednesday that Hong Kong is seeing locally acquired infections of the coronavirus once again, after more than three weeks of only imported cases, but said at this stage there's no need to increase social distancing measures and schools will reopen as planned.

A 66-year-old housewife who lives in Tsuen Wan and her five-year-old granddaughter have caught the disease, despite neither of them having travelled abroad recently.

Seven of the eight people who officials have deemed to be close contacts of the woman are showing at least some symptoms of Covid-19 and have been taken to hospital.

Health authorities said the woman, who first developed a fever on May 8, had been visiting her son in another building in Tsuen Wan on a daily basis and residents of both blocks would be asked to provide samples for virus tests.

The woman had also visited a market and staff at stalls are to be checked for the virus.

The young girl had recently been to a tutorial centre, and students and teachers there are also to be tested for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong recorded a new case linked to overseas travel involving a 34-year-old man who returned to the city from Pakistan at the weekend.

The three new cases brought the city's total so far to 1,050.

At a press briefing, under secretary for food and health Dr Chui Tak-yi said sporadic new local cases are unavoidable and the public must remain vigilant.

Chui said it is crucial for the city to do its best to prevent the spread of the disease in the community and if anyone has even mild symptoms of the virus they should visit a doctor and take a test.

But at this stage, he said, there is no need for a return to the kind of stringent social distancing measures which were only recently relaxed, such as the closure of bars, gyms and various entertainment venues.

Earlier in the day, Education Secretary Kevin Yeung also said that despite the new local infections, the government is sticking to its plan to start reopening schools in phases from May 27.

"The Centre for Health Protection will be following up any close contacts and the background [of the cases] so we have to wait to see the outcome of the investigation before we decide whether there will be any significant impact on our schedule for class resumption," Yeung said.

"At this stage, we still maintain the schedule for class resumption will stay the same."

Meanwhile, health officials also announced plans to start testing high-risk groups of people for the virus, such as airport workers and care home staff, even if they have no symptoms.

Tests for airport staff are to begin on Friday, with a quota of 500 per day.