Hong Kong reports a record high of 351 new Covid-19 cases

Hong Kong reported 351 new Covid-19 infections on Saturday – a record high.

Most were of the highly-infectious Omicron variant, whilst 24 were of the Delta variant. 161 of the cases had no clear source, whilst eight were imported.

Tuen Mun lockdown Covid-19 — File photo: GovHK.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan – who wore two face masks at Saturday’s press briefing – urged Hongkongers to stay at home.

She warned that social activity over the recent Lunar New Year break would trigger a rise in cases.

Sec. Food & Health Sophia Chan: ExCo will be looking at changes to the group gathering rules (currently 4 in public). pic.twitter.com/DMfRnhFaEy
— 🇭🇰 5th 👋 Aaron (@tripperhead) February 5, 2022

Tightened anti-epidemic measures are expected to be announced on Tuesday as Chief Executive Carrie Lam meets the Executive Council.

The previous record high was on January 27, when Hong Kong reported 164 cases of Covid-19.

Earlier on Saturday, civil service chief Patrick Nip said that more businesses could soon be affected by tightened social distancing measures, and the number of people allowed at tables in restaurants may be reduced further from four.

“When we decide on what sort of social distancing measures that are required, basically we would look at the outcome and the effect of such measures, whether it would effectively reduce the flow of people in the community so as to achieve our objective of cutting all these transmission links,” Nip told reporters.

Meanwhile, 13 preliminary positive cases were detected in Hing Ping House in Tuen Mun as it underwent a second night of compulsory lockdown. A total of 5,388 residents were tested.