Hong Kong extends social distancing measures for two weeks until after Chinese New Year

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FILE PHOTO: Health workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) rest at the locked-down part of the Yau Ma Tei residential area to contain a new outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Hong Kong, China January 26, 2021. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong will extend social distancing measures for a further two weeks until after the Chinese New Year holiday and will impose stricter testing rules when cases of COVID-19 are detected.

The measures, which include a ban on more than two people gathering and dining in restaurants after 6 p.m. local time, will remain in place until Feb. 17.

“More time is going to be needed before we see a substantial improvement,” Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung told a news briefing on Monday.

The government has in the past week set up testing zones for residents of some areas with little warning. It will also now require all residents of a building to get tested if a single untraceable infection is found in their building.

Schools will remain closed. Cheung said he hoped they could reopen after the holiday period.

Chinese New Year, which runs from Feb. 12 to Feb. 15 in Hong Kong, is typically a time when people gather in large groups.

Cheung said the government would relax restrictions for some sport facilities where there is less body contact before the holiday period. He did not give further details.

Hong Kong has been logging double-digit daily case numbers for several weeks with 34 infections recorded on Monday, down from Sunday’s 53. It has had around 10,500 COVID-19 cases since January last year and 181 deaths.

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