Hong Kong Reports Daily Record of 108 New Virus Infections

(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong reported more than 100 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, reaching a record as the government plans to extend mandatory wearing of masks to more public spaces.

Social-distancing measures including restaurant restrictions and gym closures will remain in place for another week, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said at a press conference on Sunday. The government is also planning to require that masks be worn in indoor areas beyond public transport.

Civil servants in the former British colony will be working from home starting Monday, and the government will only offer necessary and emergency services, Lam said. The Department of Health said in a separate press conference that the city had 108 new virus cases Sunday, 25 of those involving people who had traveled abroad. Some 48 of the 83 new local cases had an unknown origin.

“The situation is really severe and there is no sign that it is under control,” Lam said. “To combat the pandemic, I hereby urge citizens to be patient in order to contain this.”

The latest virus outbreak in the Asian financial hub has exceeded the magnitude of its previous waves, a sign the worst may be yet to come in the pandemic. The resurgence in Hong Kong has been aggressive after a period that saw residents return to normal life.

Four employees of an eye center have preliminarily tested positive for coronavirus, the South China Morning Post reported. One of the employees had been taking patients’ temperatures, the newspaper said, citing health officials.

Hong Kong had 64 more confirmed cases on Saturday, four of them involving people who had traveled abroad, according to the Center for Health Protection.

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