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Senin, 27 Juli 2020

COVID-19: For kitchen-less Hong Kongers, new ban on restaurant dining is a bitter pill - CNA

HONG KONG: A new Hong Kong ban on dining at restaurants and food stalls aimed at reining in a spike in COVID-19 cases threatens to complicate life for the many people in the city who depend on eating out for daily meals.

Hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers live in subdivided tiny apartments, shared by multiple families and which often do not have kitchen facilities or even if they do, are too cramped to be used often.

READ: Hong Kong bans social gatherings of more than 2 people to curb surge in COVID-19 cases

"Many people don’t cook or cannot cook. Lots of old people cannot cook. Most of my friends don’t have kitchens - they eat out for every meal," said a car driver who gave his surname as Chong as he walked through the bustling Wan Chai district where food stalls line the streets.

For the seven-day duration of the ban, people without a kitchen will have to make do with takeout or food purchased at supermarkets.

The ban on restaurant dining is one of several new restrictions imposed to curb the virus - tightening a rule put in place earlier this month which forbade dining at restaurants after 6pm.

Other restrictions announced on Monday include mandatory face masks in all public places and a ban on gatherings of more than two people.

FILE PHOTO: Staff members prepare takeaway food at a restaurant in Hong Kong — Staff members wearing face masks prepare takeaway food at a restaurant in Hong Kong, China, Jul 20, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Lam Yik)

The city has seen a spike in locally transmitted coronavirus cases over the past three weeks, with 145 cases reported on Monday, a daily record and the sixth consecutive day of triple digit infection figures.

Since late January, more than 2,700 people have been infected in Hong Kong, 20 of whom have died.

For the city's beleaguered restaurant sector already grappling with exorbitant rents and lost business due to anti-government protests last year, the new ban only promises more pain.

READ: Commentary: How did Hong Kong get to a third wave of COVID-19 infections?

Simon Wong, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants, said the sector would lose HK$5 billion (US$645 million) in revenue in July if the government were to shut down dine-in services for the month.

"Even if we take subsidies from the government relief measures, we may not be able to survive this wave," he said.

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2020-07-27 10:37:36Z
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'McRefugees' lose restaurant shelter as Hong Kong battles third wave of Covid-19 cases - South China Morning Post

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'McRefugees' lose restaurant shelter as Hong Kong battles third wave of Covid-19 cases South China Morning Post
China queries fan fears of ban on Hong Kong democrat candidates The Straits Times
Hong Kong elections: prominent activist Joshua Wong grilled over political stance ahead of intended run for legislature Yahoo Singapore News
The fall of Hong Kong The Hindu
Five Hongkongers tell the Post why they have chosen to start over abroad South China Morning Post
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2020-07-27 09:51:34Z
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Hong Kong bans social gatherings of more than 2 people to curb surge in COVID-19 cases - CNA

HONG KONG: Hong Kong on Monday (Jul 27) announced further restrictions to curb a surge in COVID-19 cases, including a ban on gatherings of more than two people, a total bar on restaurant dining and mandatory face masks in all public places, including outdoors.

Local authorities reported 145 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, of which 142 were locally transmitted, setting a new daily high just hours after the city announced its toughest measures yet to curb a community outbreak.

The measures, which will take effect from Wednesday, are the first time the city has completely banned dining in restaurants. It builds on measures introduced last week to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Restaurants will still be allowed to serve takeaway meals.

"The situation is very worrying," said Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung, adding that the current outbreak is the most severe the city has experienced.

The measures will be in place for seven days, he said.

READ: Commentary: How did Hong Kong get to a third wave of COVID-19 infections?

Last week's measures saw a ban on dining in restaurants after 6pm and the continued closure of 12 types of venues - including gyms and entertainment centres - until Jul 28.

The announcement also mandated face masks in all public indoor areas, including malls and markets, for two weeks from Jul 22.

A spike in recent cases was mostly due to people not wearing masks, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said when announcing last week's measures.

Hong Kongers were early adopters of widespread mask wearing, but now the government has made it compulsory even when outdoors, and limited gatherings to two people. (Photo: AFP/Anthony Wallace)

"This is the most critical time for Hong Kong. We ask citizens to be patient and stay at home as much as possible," she added.

Since late January, more than 2,600 people have been infected in Hong Kong, 20 of whom have died.

READ: Hong Kong tightens COVID-19 quarantine rules for sea and flight crews

After seemingly ending local transmissions for weeks, new infections in Hong Kong have hit triple figures on a daily basis, sparking fears that the new outbreak is spreading out of control.

More than 1,000 infections have been confirmed since early July - more than 40 per cent of the total since the virus first hit the city in late January.

Authorities have warned that citizens have become too lax about wearing masks and social distancing.

People wearing protective face masks walk at Mid-Levels Central, following the coronavirus disease — People wearing protective face masks walk at Mid-Levels Central in Hong Kong, China, Jul 22, 2020. (Photo: Reuters/Tyrone Siu)

Over the weekend they stepped up controls, sealing off popular beaches and introduced new rules to limit movements of ship and flight crews which stop in the city.

Hong Kong's Hospital Authority has said new cases are being found faster than public hospitals can take them in, according to public broadcaster RTHK.

China's liaison office in Hong Kong said on Sunday that the central government had made clear it would boost the city's capacity in coronavirus tests and help set up hospitals especially for infected patients.

Local authorities had previously announced plans to convert a large exhibition centre near the city's airport into a temporary field hospital.

Cheung on Monday said Beijing had agreed to help build the 2,000-bed facility, similar to those used in the central Chinese city of Wuhan where the deadly virus first emerged.

"These hospitals were built with marvellous speed in mainland China," Cheung said.

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2020-07-27 09:07:23Z
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Hong Kong bans social gatherings of more than 2 people to curb surge in COVID-19 cases - CNA

Restaurants will still be allowed to serve takeaway meals.

"The situation is very worrying," said Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung, adding that the current outbreak is the most severe the city has experienced.

The measures will be in place for seven days, he said.

READ: Commentary: How did Hong Kong get to a third wave of COVID-19 infections?

Last week's measures saw a ban on dining in restaurants after 6pm and the continued closure of 12 types of venues - including gyms and entertainment centres - until Jul 28.

The announcement also mandated face masks in all public indoor areas, including malls and markets, for two weeks from Jul 22.

A spike in recent cases was mostly due to people not wearing masks, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said when announcing last week's measures.

Medical worker collects a swab from a man to test for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Hong Ko — A medical worker in protective suit collects a swab from a man to test for COVID-19 at a specimen collection point for taxi drivers inside a car park in Hong Kong. (Photo: Reuters/Lam Yik)

"This is the most critical time for Hong Kong. We ask citizens to be patient and stay at home as much as possible," she added.

Since late January, more than 2,600 people have been infected in Hong Kong, 20 of whom have died.

READ: Hong Kong tightens COVID-19 quarantine rules for sea and flight crews

After seemingly ending local transmissions for weeks, new infections in Hong Kong have hit triple figures on a daily basis, sparking fears that the new outbreak is spreading out of control.

More than 1,000 infections have been confirmed since early July - more than 40 per cent of the total since the virus first hit the city in late January.

Authorities have warned that citizens have become too lax about wearing masks and social distancing.

Over the weekend they stepped up controls, sealing off popular beaches and introduced new rules to limit movements of ship and flight crews which stop in the city.

Hong Kong's Hospital Authority has said new cases are being found faster than public hospitals can take them in, according to public broadcaster RTHK.

BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments

Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram

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South Korea suspects traveller who tested positive for COVID-19 was infected during transit in Singapore: New Zealand - CNA

SINGAPORE: South Korean authorities have informed New Zealand that they suspect a traveller who tested positive for COVID-19 "was infected during the transit in Singapore airport", New Zealand’s Ministry of Health said on Monday (Jul 27).

The traveller left New Zealand on Jul 21 and arrived in South Korea the next day after transiting through Singapore. The person showed no symptoms but tested positive for the coronavirus upon arrival in South Korea.

“South Korean authorities have informed us that based on their initial investigations they suspect the traveller was infected during the transit in Singapore airport,” the New Zealand health ministry said on Monday.

“However other causes, including infection in New Zealand, can’t be ruled out at this stage so the ministry is in close contact with South Korea and is expecting further information from the authorities later today New Zealand time.”

In May, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said Singapore will gradually allow travellers to transit through Changi Airport from Jun 2.

Passengers flying through Changi Airport will be directed to new transit holding areas in Terminals 1 and 3 to provide a “safe environment for all passengers and airport workers”, said Changi Airport Group (CAG) on Jun 11.

READ: Safety measures in new transit holding areas in Changi Airport

Singapore Airlines (SIA) also announced on that day that SIA and SilkAir passengers flying from Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand will be allowed to transit through Changi Airport.

CAG said the holding areas will be disinfected regularly and temperature taking will be conducted at the entrances. Transit passengers with a high temperature or who appear or feel unwell will be given medical attention.

T1 THA (Changi Airport Group) — The new Terminal 1 transit holding area. (Photo: Changi Airport Group)

All passengers must wear a face mask and adhere to the safe distancing markers.

Airport staff members in transit holding areas are required to wear face masks, face shields and gloves, and will also have their temperatures taken before entering the area.

Contactless hand sanitisers, automatic water taps and doors equipped with sensors in restrooms are available in the transit holding areas, CAG had said.

All restrooms, seats and chairs are regularly cleaned and disinfected.

“Frequently touched surfaces such as charging stations, tables and playgrounds have been sprayed with a long-lasting anti-microbial disinfectant coating that reduces the risk of virus transmission,” said CAG.

CNA has contacted CAAS and the Ministry of Health for more information.

CAG said it has no comment, in response to CNA's queries.

Cleaning (Changi Airport Group) — Seats in the transit holding area are vacuumed and wiped regularly with disinfectant. (Photo: Changi Airport Group)

There have been 1,206 COVID-19 cases in New Zealand, the health ministry said.

"It has now been 87 days since the last case of COVID-19 was acquired locally from an unknown source," the media release said.

"There are no new recovered cases today, which means the total number of active cases in New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine facilities remains at 21. There is no one in New Zealand receiving hospital-level care for COVID-19."

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2020-07-27 05:30:01Z
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Japanese government to urge more telecommuting as COVID-19 cases surge - CNA

TOKYO: Japan's economy minister says the government will urge businesses to aim for 70 per cent telecommuting and enhance other social distancing measures amid a rise in coronavirus cases among workers, some infected during after-work socialising.

Though Japan has largely avoided the mass infections that have killed tens of thousands overseas, a record surge in cases during the past week in Tokyo and other major urban areas has experts worried the country will face a second wave.

Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura on Monday said in a video meeting with Japanese governors that business leaders will be asked to ramp up anti-virus measures such as encouraging the level of telecommuting achieved during Japan's state of emergency this year, when it hit 70 per cent to 80 per cent. It has since fallen to about 30 per cent, he added.

He also called on companies to encourage staggered shifts and avoid large after-work gatherings for drinks or meals.

READ: Confusion swirls as Japan launches tourism campaign amid COVID-19 surge

Tokyo last week reported a daily record of 366 cases, with 239 on Sunday. The southern city of Fukuoka reported a record 90 cases on Sunday, along with rising numbers in Osaka.

Despite the rise in cases, the government does not plan to call another state of emergency, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.

"The situation compared to April is very different," he said, citing the small number of serious cases as well as fewer cases among the elderly.

Nishimura said last week that concern was rising about clusters, specifically those involving host and hostess bars as well as others connected to workplaces and after-work socialising.

Though the number of serious cases remains relatively small, the government is also concerned about a rise in infections among people in their 40s and 50s.

The rate of telecommuting has lagged in Japan because of a paper-driven culture and technological shortcomings, experts say.

READ: 20 years on, Japan government's digital ambitions still stuck in piles of paper

The central government remains determined to restart economic activity and last week launched a domestic travel campaign in the face of widespread criticism.

But Tokyo was omitted from the plan and Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike called on the city's residents to stay home during a four-day weekend starting Thursday.

On Monday, 131 new cases were confirmed in the capital, Koike said, but noted that testing had fallen to about 20 per cent of normal over the extended holiday weekend. She added that serious cases rose by one, to 19.

More than 30,000 people in Japan have been infected and nearly 1,000 have died.

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2020-07-27 03:16:18Z
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Minggu, 26 Juli 2020

China records highest surge in COVID-19 cases since April - CNA

BEIJING: China recorded 61 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday (Jul 26) - the highest daily figure since April - propelled by clusters in three separate regions that have sparked fears of a fresh wave.

Of the new infections, 41 were in the far western region of Xinjiang, where a sudden outbreak in the regional capital of Urumqi occurred in mid-July.

Fourteen domestic cases were also recorded in the northeastern province of Liaoning where a fresh cluster broke out in the city of Dalian last week.

Two more local cases were found in the neighbouring province of Jilin near the North Korean border - the first since late May.

The remaining four were imported cases, according to a statement by the National Health Commission on Monday.

READ: China expands state jobs for graduates as COVID-19 hits private sector

Sunday's COVID-19 figure is the highest daily tally of new cases since Apr 14, when 89 cases, mostly imported, were recorded.

China also reported 44 new asymptomatic patients, down from 68 a day earlier.

Chinese authorities have rolled out mass testing for hundreds of thousands of people in the port city of Dalian.

A second wave of mass testing was also launched in Xinjiang's Urumqi on Sunday to detect residents who had previously tested false negative, reported the state-run Global Times, following a mass testing effort earlier this month.

READ: Trump willing to work with China on COVID-19 vaccine for US

More than 2.3 million people in the city of 3.5 million have been tested so far, according to a local press conference Friday.

The outbreaks come as the Chinese Super League football tournament kicked off its much-delayed season on Saturday.

Residential communities in both Dalian and Urumqi have been placed under lockdown, with authorities declaring a "wartime mode" to combat the virus.

READ: China requires negative COVID-19 tests for arriving air passengers

Experts still have not confirmed the origin of the recent Xinjiang cluster, which has infected 178 people to date.

The fresh infections in Jilin were announced just days after President Xi Jinping concluded an inspection tour of the province last week.

China now has 83,891 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 4,634 fatalities.

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2020-07-27 02:37:30Z
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