Defer Activities Like Massage, Facials: CHP Chief

Hong Kong health officials have urged people to put off going to beauty parlours, after two more workers in the sector tested positive for coronavirus.

This comes a day after the government issued a series of confusing statements on Wednesday, before finally clarifying that beauty treatment centres and massage parlours could remain open while places like karaoke joints and mahjong clubs had to shut.

Among the 37 new Covid-19 cases reported on Thursday – with the total number of cases recorded in the SAR rising to 802 – two were beauty parlour staff.

Thirty of the new cases involved people who recently travelled overseas, including 17 students and a two-month-old baby who visited Sweden with the family.

The two beauticians and five others are thought to have contracted Covid-19 locally.

One of the affected beauty parlour staff is a friend and colleague of the first beautician who came down with the disease earlier.

The other beautician works in Causeway Bay's New Beauty. These two latest victims had eaten, hiked and took part in sports activities together.

Their cases have again brought the focus on the beauty sector, after some experts called for the closure of beauty centres and massage parlours.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said activities that involve close bodily contact should be avoided at a time like this.

"All unnecessary gatherings, including those involving close contact, such as massage or facials, should be avoided," she said.

"During this period, we are advocating social distancing, so if these activities can be postponed or delayed, please do so."

Officials said they are trying their level best to move people who test positive for the virus quickly into hospital.

But Dr Lau Ka-hin, a chief manager from the Hospital Authority, said this will take time as it needs coordination with different officials and departments.

Lau also said that a Tuen Mun hospital nurse who tested positive for the coronavirus, according to preliminary results, had recently visited London for a holiday.