Hong Kong tightens social distancing rules

Measures have been tightened after over 300 new Covid-19 cases were reported in recent days.

Hong Kong.- Health authorities have reinstated social distancing measures after a spike in Covid-19 cases.

Food and beverage outlets will be restricted to take out after 6pm and face masks will be mandatory on public transport, with fines of HKD5,000 (US$650) for not wearing them.

Public gatherings have been restricted to four people, with large public events being cancelled and the local Disneyworld venue has shut only days after reopening.

Hong Kong authorities said they were reinstating measures because of local circulation of the novel coronavirus. According to ABC News, 300 new cases have been reported since July 6, of which 220 were local.

Macau has begun asking travellers arriving via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to produce a negative Covid-19 test result no more than seven days old, AGBrief said.

The new measures would seem to set back the planned “heath code” system expected to allow travel between Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong province without having to go through mandatory quarantine.