Covid-19: Hong Kong imposes strict confinement on an entire neighborhood
This is unheard of since the appearance of Covid-19 in Hong Kong.
An entire district, that of Yau Tsim Mong, of around 150 buildings will be cordoned off from midnight Friday and the measure concerns up to 9,000 people.
Only residents with a negative test will be able to leave their homes.
AFP - ANTHONY WALLACE
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
For the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of residents of one of Hong Kong's poorest and densely populated neighborhoods will be subject to strict containment from midnight Friday.
Publicity
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This is
unheard
of since the appearance of
Covid-19
in Hong Kong.
An entire neighborhood of around 150 buildings will be cordoned off from midnight Friday.
The measure concerns up to 9,000 people.
Only residents with a negative test will be able to leave their homes.
Offenders risk up to six months in prison and a fine of 2,600 euros.
According to the
South China Morning Post
, the authorities will deploy some 1,700 agents to ensure compliance with the quarantine.
Yau Tsim Mong is a disadvantaged district of Hong Kong where housing is among the most limited on the planet.
Due to the astronomical cost of rents, apartments are divided into a maximum of spaces not exceeding 5 square meters per person.
In these dilapidated buildings where sanitary facilities are shared, several epidemic outbreaks have appeared in recent weeks, pushing the authorities to confine the entire neighborhood.
The Hong Kong government has said it wants to act quickly and complete the screening of all residents of the neighborhood by next Monday.
A second test should be performed within five to ten days.
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