14 July

Hong Kong has tightened measures against the coronavirus after a sudden spike in new cases.

Hong Kong had contained the local spread of the virus since May but the number of new cases started rising again in early July.

About 180 new cases have been confirmed for the past eight days through Monday.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced on Monday that gatherings of more than four people in public will be banned from Wednesday.

In restaurants, customers will not be allowed to dine inside establishments from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Only takeaways will be allowed during those times.

Other measures include mandatory mask-wearing on public transportation, including taxis and buses.

Violators will be fined up to 5,000 Hong Kong dollars, or about 645 US dollars.

The Hong Kong government introduced a range of preventive measures in March when the virus spread across the Chinese territory. It began to ease measures in May as the number of new cases declined.

The annual Hong Kong Book Fair, which attracts more than a million people, was scheduled to open on Wednesday. 

But the event has been postponed.

NHK