Hong Kong reopens, but Asia remains on guard against covid-19 2:55
(CNN) - Hong Kong will make wearing face masks in public mandatory and limit meetings to no more than two people as city officials fight a growing increase in coronavirus infections.
On Monday, Hong Kong's chief secretary Matthew Cheung announced that facial masks would be mandatory in indoor and outdoor public places starting Wednesday, July 29, and that those who violate them will face fines of up to HK $ 5,000 ( US $ 645), although it did not specify how the new measure would be applied.
People with "reasonable excuses," such as medical conditions or children under the age of two, will be exempt, he added.
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Cheung also announced that the Chinese central government will help build a makeshift Wuhan-style hospital near Hong Kong airport with a capacity of around 2,000 beds.
"The epidemic situation is critical," Cheung said, adding that the next few weeks are extremely crucial for the city. "We face a high risk of outbreak in the community."
The restrictions come as the city faces an outbreak of coronavirus locally referred to as its "third wave," in which the origin of many infections is still unknown. Hong Kong had been praised for its relative success in curbing the spread of the coronavirus. However, on Monday, Hong Kong authorities reported more than 100 new cases for the sixth consecutive day, bringing the city's total to more than 2,700.
A group of people wear face masks while shopping at a fish stall inside a wet market on July 25, 2020 in Hong Kong, China. (Credit: Vernon Yuen / NurPhoto via AP)
In the past two days, a 76-year-old woman and a 92-year-old man died of covid-19, bringing the total number of coronavirus deaths in the city to 20.
Before the figures were announced Monday, Cheung said 1,163 new cases had been reported in the past 14 days, and the origin of 492 of the infections could not be traced.
The new restrictions are the strictest rules so far introduced in Hong Kong, which had previously limited public gatherings to four people.
When asked why the city did not impose complete confinement, as other places around the world have, Cheung said doing so would be too inconvenient and said he thought the current measures were appropriate.
Sophia Chan, Hong Kong's health secretary, said authorities were aiming to expand the tests. They planned to test vendors in 300 markets and around 14,000 minibus drivers.
Although most Hong Kong residents have voluntarily worn masks in public since the outbreak began earlier this year, face masks remain a highly controversial and politicized issue in other parts of the world. In the United States and elsewhere, a number of high-ranking politicians seem reluctant to endorse its use despite evidence showing that the masks protect both the user and other covid-19 carriers.
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Hong Kong outbreak
Despite Hong Kong's proximity to mainland China, where the first coronavirus cases were reported, the city has managed to keep its case count relatively low.
That success has been attributed to strict border regulations that prevent non-residents from entering the city, efficient tracking of contacts, and residents' willingness to practice good hygiene, wear masks, and practice social distancing.
The situation has changed in recent weeks, and authorities are warning of the potential for "exponential growth" in new cases after a sudden group of cases.
Earlier this month, authorities restricted meetings to no more than four people, closed beaches, and demanded that restaurants close after 6 p.m., although the take-out service was allowed to continue.
On Sunday, the Hong Kong Department of Health imposed new measures requiring crew members of cargo ships entering Hong Kong to remain on board during the ship's stay in Hong Kong waters.
Flight crews must also submit a negative coronavirus test result 48 hours before boarding a flight to Hong Kong.
- CNN's Chermaine Lee and Isaac Yee contributed to this report.
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