Hong Kong’s zero-COVID strategy under pressure as cases soar

By Joyce Zhou and Farah Grasp

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong is anticipated to report a file of round 610 new COVID-19 circumstances on Monday, broadcaster TVB reported, within the largest take a look at but for the town’s zero-COVID technique because it grapples to comprise a rising outbreak.

Round 300 others had been discovered constructive in preliminary assessments, TVB stated, citing an unnamed supply.

The worldwide monetary hub, which is following mainland China’s technique of suppressing all coronavirus outbreaks as quickly as doable, has seen circumstances soar since January with over 2,000 infections in contrast with simply two in December.

The town recorded 342 circumstances on Sunday, barely beneath the day prior to this’s file of 351 circumstances. Dozens of financial institution branches together with retailers of HSBC and Financial institution of China stated they might droop operations from Monday to assist curb transmissions.

Well being Secretary Sophia Chan stated over the weekend that she expects circumstances to rise “exponentially”.

The previous British colony has develop into one of the crucial remoted cities on this planet, with flights down round 90% resulting from strict coronavirus laws and colleges, playgrounds, gyms in addition to most different venues shut. Eating places shut at 6 pm (1000 GMT), whereas most individuals, together with nearly all of civil servants, are working from dwelling.

The financial and psychological tolls from the hardline method are quickly rising, with measures changing into extra draconian than these first carried out in 2020.

Authorities quarantine services are additionally nearing their most as authorities wrestle to maintain up with their inflexible contact tracing scheme.

Authorities maintain each day briefings offering particulars on every contaminated individual together with the place they went and ate. As circumstances surge nonetheless, strategies together with scouring bank card statements and transport information to determine shut contacts are far more durable. There are seemingly tons of of transmission chains locally, they stated. In whole, Hong Kong has recorded 213 COVID deaths and round 15,000 circumstances since early 2020, far lower than different comparable main cities.

REVERBERATIONS

Well being consultants stated the town’s present technique of shutting itself off as the remainder of the world shifts to dwelling with coronavirus, shouldn’t be sustainable.

Round 80% of the town’s 7.5 million residents have had a minimum of one COVID-19 jab however the majority of aged stay unvaccinated, authorities figures present.

Out of those round 40% have acquired the Chinese language-made Sinovac vaccine, believed to be far much less efficient towards the illness than the one produced by Germany’s BioNTech, the opposite vacine out there within the metropolis. Infections have been recorded throughout authorities departments from hospitals and housing to the unbiased anti-corruption physique.

Two pet cats examined constructive for coronavirus, the federal government stated on Friday, because it urged pet homeowners to keep away from kissing animals.In January, authorities ordered a cull of greater than 2,000 hamsters in dozens of pet outlets, after tracing an outbreak to a employee in a store the place 11 hamsters examined constructive.

The federal government has additionally tried to assuage worries over a scarcity of meals from the mainland after some cross-border truck drivers examined constructive. A number of drivers have been pressured to isolate however total contemporary meals provide “remained steady”, it stated on Sunday.

There have been shotages of imported overseas meals and price will increase resulting from tight air restrictions. (This story refiles to appropriate typo in headline)

(Reporting by Twinnie Siu, Joyce Zhou, Donny Kwok, Clare Jim and Marius Zaharia; Writing by Farah Grasp; Modifying by Michael Perry and Stephen Coates)