[Explanation] Recently, the new crown epidemic in Hong Kong has rebounded.
As of 0:00 on January 18, Hong Kong had newly confirmed 107 new cases in a single day, with more than 40 cases of unknown origin, a record high in the past month.
On January 19, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Carrie Lam, met with the media before attending the executive meeting and stated that the next step the SAR government will take measures to evacuate residents of confirmed buildings, lower the threshold for compulsory inspections of buildings, and monitor sewage and viruses to cut the virus transmission chain as soon as possible. .
[Concurrent] Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
We also take enforcement actions against people or buildings undergoing compulsory testing, hoping to inspect one by one, and residents in buildings will be tested in accordance with the law.
If we are worried that the entire building will pose a risk of transmission, we are also very decisive to evacuate the entire building, or the residents of certain risk units in this building, to the quarantine center.
[Commentary] In response to the previous compulsory testing of several building groups in Jordan and Yau Ma Tei after the outbreak, Carrie Lam said that the core area will be delineated in the Jordan quarantine area in Yau Ma Tei and the core area will be required. Every resident in the area must undergo mandatory testing.
[Concurrent] Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
We will delineate a core area in the quarantine area in Jordan, Yau Ma Tei, and require residents of every building in this core area to be subject to mandatory testing. In other words, we will not wait for the first confirmed case in this building. , This building was put into our mandatory inspection (range).
At the same time, if it is found through the results of the sewage virus monitoring we just mentioned that some buildings (outside the core area) that have no confirmed cases but whose sewage is positive, we will also require them (residents) to undergo compulsory testing.
[Explanation] Previously, due to the epidemic, the SAR government had announced in early January that all Lunar New Year Fairs would be cancelled this year.
In this regard, Carrie Lam said that taking into account the needs of the citizens during the New Year and the pressure of the flow of people from other flower markets, the SAR government will reschedule this year’s New Year’s Fair Flower Market, and the plan will be announced to the public after consultation with flower farmers.
[Concurrent] Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
We announced earlier that this year’s Lunar New Year flower market will be cancelled, but we also consider that it cannot be a one size fits all. Regardless of the necessary activities that citizens need to have during the festival, we also consider that if the flower market is banned, There will be a lot of people flow in other places to buy flowers, and it will also cause certain risks. We are sure that we have the latest arrangements for this year’s Lunar New Year’s Fair Flower Market. The Food and Health Bureau will meet with friends of the flower growers later, and They will also announce it to the society after they have discussed it.
Reporter Fan Siyi and Liang Yuan from Hong Kong
Editor in charge: [Lu Yan]