By The SUN
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| Public hospitals are now 75% full because of the spike in the number of cases |
The historic number was announced as Secretary for Food and
Health Sophia Chan unveiled more stringent measures to contain the spread of
the coronavirus, and warned of further restrictions if the infection tally
continues to rise.
Chan said the stricter measures would focus on social
distancing, but did not rule out a lockdown, even if a government statement
issued only yesterday said this was “fake news.”
“Whether there will be a lockdown depends on the entire
situation. We are looking at some of the international practices. We also have
to balance people’s basic daily needs in Hong Kong ,”
she said.
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| Dr Chan now says a lockdown cannot be discounted if the surge in cases continues |
The new measures announced today include requiring travelers
from the United States and Kazakhstan
They will also have to show proof that they they have
confirmed bookings in a hotel in Hong Kong for
their mandatory 14-day quarantine, before being allowed to board their flights.
The new travel restriction takes effect on Jul 29.
The same requirement was previously imposed on travelers
flying in from seven countries deemed as high risk for the virus - the Philippines , Indonesia ,
Bangladesh , India , Pakistan ,
Nepal and South Africa
Among the new cases today which took Hong
Kong ’s total tally to 2,132 were eight imported cases.
Four of these flew in from Manila India
and Kazakhstan , and two were
returnees from the U.S.
Of the 105 local cases, 42 had links to previous cases,
including family members and friends of the infected patients. The sources of
the remaining 63 were unknown.
The untraceable cases include a chef at Pottinger Hotel in
Central, a kindergarten teacher in To Kwa Wan, two secondary teachers (from Po
Leung Kuk Pershing Tsang School and St Clare’s Girls Schoo), a nurse at St Paul ’s Hospital and a staff in an eye specialist
centre, both in Causeway
Bay
There was also a cleaner at the Salvation Army elderly home,
a lawyer who visited the reception counter at the Correctional Services
Deparment, and a taxi driver.
Among the linked cases are two patients at Queen Elizabeth
Hospital who tested positive after
being isolated as close contacts of a previously confirmed patient; and an
outpatient at the physiotherapy department of Northern Hospital
Two separate incidents at two hospitals also caused concern.
In the first case, a patient who was in an isolation room at Princess Margaret
became emotional, and a nurse who helped restrain him dislodged her N95 mask.
In the other case, a patient vomited on the hand of a support staff at Tuen Mun
Hospital
There were also new cases in the restaurant clusters. Three
more patients were linked to the Pier Market in Grand Tower
There was a new case linked to Fulum Palace
Virus hotspot Tsz Wan Shan also had five new cases of people
who work at a restaurant, a hair salon, as well as the wet market there.
The Broadway shop at Plaza Hollywood was the link to two
more cases – one staff member, and another who recently bought a telephone at
the store.,
Another employee at Novotel Citygate hotel in Tung Chung
also tested positive.
Dr Linda Yu of the Hospital Authority said that there are
645 patients currently confined at 14 hospitals. Twenty-nine of them are in
critical condition, 14 are in serious condition, and 62 are stable.
The usage rate for the negative pressure beds has reached
75.4%, and the HA is making final preparations for setting up new facilities in
case a new surge in cases result in a shortage of isolation rooms.
