Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP), part of the Department of Health, confirmed there were no new cases of coronavirus reported on Monday, the first such day since cases began to be recorded.
The city’s tracking, monitoring and treatment of those infected, together with measures to decrease and eliminate transmissions, have taken effect, with just 1,025 confirmed cases and four fatalities recorded.
The report says this comes as countries around the world have seen their own numbers escalate amid the fall-out of the pandemic.
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“The number of new cases has run into single digits for several days now and Monday’s data gives a sign of hope that restrictions that have governed everyday life will soon be lifted.
“However, the government continues to appeal to the public to practise social distancing, asking them to go out less and to avoid social activities in order to minimise the risk of infection,’’ CHP said.
Restrictions affecting air travel and non-Hong-Kong residents entering the territory are set to continue for now, as are restrictions affecting the food and beverage industries and other sectors, including public services.
A surge in new cases saw Hong Kong’s number of cases balloon to 937 from 360 earlier this month, with 57.5 per cent of new cases coming from those arriving from Britain.
The percentage correlated to a travel ban imposed at midnight, March 25.
The report says restaurants remain open with limited capacity but nightclubs, bars, gyms, cinemas, karaoke lounges, beauty salons and massage parlours remain closed until further notice, as do schools and universities.