HK at 'critical stage' in coronavirus fight

(22 Jul 2020) Hong Kong is facing a "critical stage" in its fight against COVID-19, and the government is extending anti-virus measures, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said Wednesday. Hong Kong has made it mandatory to wear masks on public transport, in indoor areas and passenger terminals. The measures will last until Aug. 5 as the city tries to break the transmission of local infections. Hong Kong has recorded 2,019 infections with 14 deaths. On Tuesday, it reported 58 cases, 25 of them from an unknown source. Chan is appealing to people to stay at home as much as possible, saying Hong Kong is at a high risk of a community outbreak. The new measures include more stringent checks on the now few incoming travellers, adding the US to a list of locations where people have to get virus tests before getting on the plane to Hong Kong. Some of these new measures will be provisionally in force until the end of the year, but Chan said they could be adjusted and lifted before then. Chan emphasized that there has been "a drastic change" in Hong Kong's COVID-19 situation in recent days, highlighting that from 8 to 21 July, Hong Kong has recorded 719 new cases, including 605 with no travel history. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...