HONG KONG - Hong Kong recorded two imported COVID-19 cases on Friday, ending a five-day streak of no new infections. The city’s tally now stands at 1,039.
The latest patients are a 34-year-old man and a 16-year-old female student previously stranded in Pakistan. They were among 319 Hong Kong residents brought home from the South Asian country via a government-chartered flight on Thursday evening.
The Hong Kong government is arranging the evacuation of another 1,000 residents stuck in Pakistan and more than 3,000 in India due to lockdowns in those countries
Both patients didn’t show any infection symptoms, said Chuang Shuk-kwan, who heads the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease branch.
All returnees received the coronavirus test upon arrival, after which they were transferred to the quarantine center in Chun Yeung public housing estate in Fo Tan.
The Hong Kong government is arranging the evacuation of another 1,000 residents stuck in Pakistan and more than 3,000 in India due to lockdowns in those countries.
Expecting more imported cases among the returnees, Chuang said the coronavirus crisis hasn’t been over and urged Hong Kong people not to give up on social distancing practices.
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In the first half of the four-day holiday, tens of thousands of Hong Kong people flocked to country parks and outlying islands. Many others were seen eating out in neighborhood restaurants.
Chuang appealed to people to take extra precautionary measures when using public transports and having meals in restaurants.
