Hong Kong sees record 63 local virus cases in swelling wave

Hong Kong reported a record 63 local virus cases yesterday, the third time in about a week that the city’s new outbreak has breached previous highwater marks.
Of the total confirmed cases, more than half – 35 – were of unknown origins, said the city’s health department on Thursday. The new outbreak has now infected over 300 people in less than two weeks, with more than a third of infections unlinked to confirmed cases or existing outbreaks, signaling that hidden chains of transmission are widespread.
The latest record came on the heels of Hong Kong implementing its strictest suite of social distancing measures as the government tries to keep the outbreak from spiraling out of control. Up until early this month, the former British colony was widely seen globally as a model of success in containing the virus, with only 15 cases of local transmission from May through June.
Starting Wednesday, bars, gyms and beaches were shut, public gatherings were limited to four people, and people refusing to wear masks on public transportation were fined. Dining-in service in restaurants is banned between 6 p.m. and 5 a.m., a measure that’s extracting a toll on a population heavily reliant on eating out, given small apartments with little room for cooking.
Local media outlets reported that people working late shifts have been spotted having to eat meals in parks and public spaces, raising concern for their welfare. Officials said yesterday that in light of community feedback, staff canteens would be exempted from the control measures. MDT/Bloomberg