A woman jogs along Seaview Promenade in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong on June 26, 2022. (PHOTO/CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong reported 2,227 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, as the daily caseload in the financial hub stayed above 2,000 for the fourth day.

READ MORE: HK logs 2,318 cases, including 11 in Kwun Tong eatery

In a statement, a spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection said the new cases comprised 2,084 local infections and 143 imported ones.

The city reported 2,318 virus cases on Friday and 2,358 infections on Thursday.

The government spokesman said the local situation of COVID-19 infection is still severe, appealing to members of the public to continue to comply with social distancing measures and refrain from participating in unnecessary gatherings

The spokesman stressed that as the local situation of COVID-19 infection is still severe, appealing to members of the public to continue to comply with social distancing measures and refrain from participating in unnecessary gatherings. 

"This would lower the risk of infection and prevent the virus from spreading in the community," the spokesman said.

The spokesman also said that more than three passengers tested positive upon arrival of a Turkish Airlines passenger flight (TK070) from Istanbul on Thursday. 

The government has therefore invoked the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to prohibit the landing of passenger flights in Hong Kong from Istanbul operated by Turkish Airlines from July 3 to 7. 

ALSO READ: HK sees 2,358 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths