2022-01-05 HKT 16:04
Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the government will re-impose strict anti-epidemic measures in Hong Kong to try to ward off a large-scale Covid-19 outbreak involving the Omicron variant, such as re-introducing a ban on dine-in services at restaurants from 6pm, ordering the closure of venues such as bars and karaoke parlours and suspending flights from eight countries including the UK and the US.
Other measures include cancelling all large-scale events and suspending all "cruise-to-nowhere" voyages.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Lam said there have been drastic changes to the local pandemic situation with new cases springing up, adding that authorities have so far been unable to determine how many transmission chains there are in the community.
"We are on the brink of a major outbreak," she warned.
"We are in a race against time to stop the Omicron variant from spreading in the community."
She said there will be a ban on dine-in services from 6pm to 5am from Friday, with the number of people capped at two to six people per table depending on the type of the restaurant.
Fifteen types of venues such as bars, gyms, entertainment venues, mahjong parlours and swimming pools will be shut.
There will be a ban on major events and non-essential gatherings for 14 days, including the Hong Kong Cyclothon.
From Saturday, January 8, passenger flights from eight countries will be banned from Hong Kong for 14 days. They are Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The chief executive said the rapid surge in imported Covid cases has placed tremendous pressure on the local medical system, adding there's a need to stop people from coming from high-risk areas.
All these measures will be reviewed in a week.
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