Hong Kong Now World's Worst in Covid Deaths

Patients are back outside hospitals, no space and warmer temps

Hong Kong was one of the best places in keeping Covid-19 at bay for two years, and now it is the worst.

Today the city logged another record 56,827 positive cases, and a shocking 144 deaths in the past 24 hours, ranging in age from 42 to 102 years old. While 56 of them lived in elderly care homes, 124 of them were not vaccinated.

The rising line is the number of HK deaths

Up until the beginning of February this year, Hong Kong had hardly any deaths and now it is at 17.3 deaths per 1 million people. 

When comparing Hong Kong to New York City via @kjoules:

Most cases in a day per 1 million people

NY 6,621 (January 3, 2022)

HK 7,676 (Today)

Most deaths in a day per 1 million people

NY 67.9 (Before vaccines April 7, 2020)

NY 15.0 (After vaccines January 11, 2022)

HK 25.1 (Today)

Meanwhile the government and advisers are still deciding about implementing universal testing. Today Dr Yuen Kwok-yuen admitted that the window for inoculating the elderly has passed and that conducting universal testing will only find too many cases and not enough places to isolate them all.

Other experts questioning the need to do testing in March also include Ben Cowling, Gabriel Leung, Leung Chi-chiu, and Ho Pak-leung. 

There is still no consensus or final announcement on how universal testing, which is supposed to start on March 26 will be done. The government says there will be 500 testing centres so that people will not have to wait too long, and these testing centres will be located in schools (that are not used because students have been forced into an early "summer vacation".

Yuen admits HK should have vaccinated elderly

Currently there are only 19 testing areas in the city, and another 43 mobile ones operated by contractors. Are there even enough staff to conduct tests at all 500 sites?

Apparently when people go for the three tests -- in family groups -- they will receive KN95 masks and rapid testing kits to screen between tests. All our nostrils will be extra sensitive after this is all over with. 

It was also reported that some 1,000 prisoners have caught Covid, including democracy activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho Chun-yan. They tested positive after using the rapid antigen tests but currently show no symptoms. 

As a result of the positive cases, lawyers will not be able to visit their clients in the next two weeks, while loved ones and families of the detained cannot see them for another one and a half months.

Isolation units with bars on the windows...

And then there are the isolation units being built... apparently it is four to a room -- how is that even social distancing? Squat toilets (and now some Western ones we have been told) -- and mainland Chinese electricity sockets. No one alerted the mainland contractors that Hong Kong uses the British sockets.

So if you do end up in one of these isolation trailers with three other strangers, at least bring a multi-plug adapter with you...

Hongkongers React to Mandatory Tracing App

People using the app on their smartphones at govt buildings

As expected, the first day of making the Leave Home Safe app mandatory in many government buildings including wet markets, libraries, swimming pools did not go as smoothly as expected.

Even a man who had fallen, bloodied his head and rushed to emergency, had to use the app in order to enter the hospital.

And in a show of force, five people who work at Immigration Tower in Wan Chai were arrested for using a fake app. Two were immigration officers, one a member of staff at the Audit Commission and two contractors.

An injured man had to use app to go to hospital

And these people are working for the government...

Meanwhile for ordinary folk, this morning there were lots of people in front of the entrance of the Pei Ho Street Market in Sham Shui Po as many elderly people sought the help of others in installing or using the contact-tracing app.

One shopper, surnamed Wong, resorted to buying a new smartphone to use the app.

"It is too troublesome to fill in a form every time you enter a venue. I had no choice but to buy a new phone," said the 60-year-old.

The media also discovered there weren't enough security guards at all the wet market entrances to enforce use of the app so many snuck in without scanning the QR code.

At Sha Tin Public Library, people moaned about using the app.

"It's convenient for some of us, but not convenient for elderly people who don't have a smartphone... To be honest, many jobless people don't have a phone. What can they do?" asked a man surnamed Ng.

A woman who gave her name as Jenny said she had planned to go to the library but was not willing to use the app to go in.

"Since they require me to scan the QR code, I decided not to enter," she said.

A housewife surnamed Chan said she had been turned away from the Lok Fu Post Office because she didn't have a smartphone.

"It's disruptive. I don't understand why they have to do this. I just want to send some mail. It's unfair to those of us who don't have the app."

There is a big market for second-hand phones

It is evident there is a lot of mistrust of the government and why it is so anxious for residents to use the app.

If that wasn't enough, pro-establishment politicians, in a bid to show their patriotism, have suggested the government enforce using the app in other places too. Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun believes diners of B-type restaurants (four to a table and open until 10pm) will be forced to use the app by mid-November. 

And the University of Hong Kong's health expert Dr Ho Pak-leung, expects supermarkets and shopping malls will adopt the Leave Home Safe app as well. Currently the QR code is at the entrances but no one scans it.

If that wasn't enough, pro-Beijing newspaper Wen Wei Po's editorial said the government should proactively stop people from buying a spare phone specifically for the Leave Home Safe app as a passive tactic against the authorities.

But that only fueled the market for second-hand or cheap smartphones today. People flocked to second-hand electronic stores in places like Mongkok and Sham Shui Po to snap up phones that cost HK$800 (US$102). Most of the buyers were elderly people, according to salesmen.

Tien suggests using app in type B restaurants

"I installed [the app] for the elderly people if they didn't know how to... Some people really don't know how to use a smartphone, just like the customer I served just now. She has never used a smartphone," a seller surnamed Chan said.

This exact scenario was played out back in February when the government pushed residents to use the Leave Home Safe app. Lots of people rushed out to buy cheap smartphones just to use the app. And now it's happening again as it is becoming mandatory in so many places.

They are all buying a second phone for the same reason -- distrust of the government and a belief that the authorities will use the app to scan people's phones to extract personal data.

It's amusing how far each side will go -- the residents versus the government -- in trying to be one step ahead.

But for sure the government will keep pressing people to scan the app wherever they go, again in a bid to make Beijing happy. Because our fearless leader has one goal -- to open the border -- and she will do whatever it takes to get there.

HKG-SIN Travel Corridor Further From Reach

The chances of visiting Singapore are even more distant now

The long-awaited Hong Kong-Singapore "travel corridor" -- instead of bubble, in the hopes it will bring better luck -- looks even more distant now, as the Lion City has decided to pursue a different strategy from Hong Kong when it comes to dealing with Covid-19.

Singapore plans to allow quarantine-free travel and large gatherings, and even potentially halt massive contact-tracing operations and daily case counts as the number of vaccinations rises. As of Sunday 38 percent of the city state's population have been fully vaccinated, with the goal of reaching two-thirds by early August.

Lam says Singapore side needs to be vacinated

This is in contrast to Hong Kong which is aiming for zero infections and its painfully slow uptake in vaccinations. Currently its inoculation rate stands at 22 percent fully vaccinated, 32.6 percent with one jab.

The divergent paths has led to Hong Kong officials and health experts pondering if this bilateral travel corridor is still a good idea, even though Singapore is high on the list of preferred destinations.

While almost all of Hong Kong's recent infections have been imported, University of Hong Kong microbiologist Ho Pak-leung warned on Monday that Singapore's plans for reopening could leave Hong Kong exposed to a higher risk of variant strains if and when the long-delayed travel bubble was finally launched.

Hong Kong has a slow uptake in vaccines

Today Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said both governments may need to consider if participants of the travel corridor should be vaccinated as part of the requirement for participating in the travel bubble. Hong Kong had already required its residents to be fully vaccinated to take part.

One would have thought that was one of the first requirements, no?

The travel bubble -- I mean travel corridor -- has been delayed twice, last November and then in May this year.

However, with the fear of variants on the loose and Singapore not on the same page as Hong Kong in stamping out infections, one wonders if this travel corridor is ever going to happen.

Dr Ho is concerned about variants coming to HK

Tommy Tam Kwong-shun, chairman of the Society of IATA Passenger Agents, a coalition of the largest travel agents in Hong Kong, agreed the advantages of the Singapore travel bubble would pale in comparison to those similar arrangements with the mainland and Macau. He also predicted the travel corridor with Singapore will not start anytime soon.

"We still haven't sealed the deal with Macau and the mainland," he said. "[Under the new measures], if we start the travel bubble with Singapore, we will bear a big risk."

There is still no end to this pandemic in Hong Kong... 

The Good News, Bad News

Many people took advantage of the opportunity to get the jab

 

This morning a lot of people in Hong Kong signed up for the vaccine online now that the government has allowed people from the age of 30 upwards to get it, as well as domestic helpers, and students 16 years and older who are studying overseas.

The process was relatively efficient, though if you spent time reading through all the precautionary measures and possible side effects, then you wasted precious time getting the dates and times you wanted.

Now people over 30 are eligible to get vaccinated

Nevertheless some of these people are getting the jab as early as this Friday and are only too excited, showing off their confirmation emails on social media.

Today there were 18 cases recorded, five imported, and five more added to the growing gym cluster to 127.

Yesterday University of Hong Kong microbiologist Ho Pak-leung complained that the government's LeaveHomeSafe app is not working effectively to notify people if they had been in the same place at the same time as an infected person.

"The 100 or so people must have gone out for dining in the past 10 days. We are not seeing there's any improvement in contact tracing on that front. Although many people have installed the LeaveHomeSafe, the app seems not to have fully shown its effectiveness," he said.

A friend told me her three colleagues went to the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong recently, one used the app, the other two wrote down the contact details. In the end it was the latter two who were notified by the hotel and not the one who used LeaveHomeSafe!

Leung said if there is a delay in tracking down people there could be more clusters forming from restaurants, which we have seen here and there, with places like Zuma, Somm, Mandarin Bar + Grill, Arabica and Tree House just to name a few.

Dr Ho worries tracing app is not effective enough

There is also the concern that new infections won't show up for about two weeks too.

The chance to get a vaccine can't come fast enough.

Meanwhile Hong Kong is facing its highest unemployment rate since 2004 at 7.2 percent. That means more than 261,000 people are out of a job, 8,300 more than before.

The sectors most affected are tourism, hospitality and retail, while the food and beverage area has improved slightly. 

Back in 2003 the jobless rate was 8.5 percent during SARS, but that was for about four or five months, compared to now being well over a year. 

If that wasn't bad enough news, the government has approved fare hikes for buses by as much as 12 percent.

With bus fares going up, will more take the tram?

This is hard to understand because during the pandemic last year till now the frequency of the buses have decreased significantly, making people wait longer for buses or they are more packed. 

Fares for Citybus and New World First Bus will go up 12 percent in two phases, one in April the next in January, while Kowloon Motor Bus can charge 8.5 percent more, and New Lantao Bus company can raise fares by 9.8 percent.

However Long Win Bus, which runs bus services to the airport will not see an increase in fares as the government believes travel will come back soon...

At the same time the government is increasing the public transport subsidy to HK$500 per person, up from the current HK$100 and as long as people spend at least HK$200 on public transport per month.

Maybe -- just maybe -- this may push some people to use the tram and the Star Ferry more often.

Or in my case, walk more.

Experts Criticize Govt's Tactics in Battling Covid-19

Ambush lockdown in Sham Shui Po a few days ago

 

Today Hong Kong reported 32 new coronavirus cases, and tonight there are lockdowns with mandatory testing in Sham Shui Po, and Ferry Point near Jordan.

But is this tactic of shutting down buildings and forcing people to take tests actually effective?

Some infectious disease experts in Hong Kong disagree with how the government is battling Covid-19 and they are not afraid to speak out.

Dr Keiji Fukada says lockdowns are "hostile"

Last week it was Dr Keiji Fukada, director of the University of Hong Kong's school of public health and a member of the government's Covid-19 advisory panel.

"The very term itself -- ambush-style lockdowns -- sounds awful, militaristic and hostile. The onus is on the government to explain what it is doing, and why, and in ways that the general public can understand."

Then the authorities re-framed it as "restriction-testing declarations" which sounds rather ridiculous as a euphemism. One newspaper calls it "guerilla lockdowns" which is pretty accurate, as they seem to pick an area at random and whoever is in the vicinity is stopped in their tracks and must get tested.

The authorities are even looking into breaking into people's homes if they don't respond to conducting the mandatory test. Again, hostile comes to mind...

Anyone caught in a lockdown must be tested

Today it was Dr Ho Pak-leung's turn to unleash his criticism. The HKU microbiologist says the lockdowns are targeting the wrong people and are conducted days after there is a case. He says this is ineffective, and instead the lockdowns should be done as soon as possible, or focus on clusters, and for him the construction sites are a concern.

Ho says it's strange that no lockdowns have been ordered for construction sites, even though transmission chains have emerged at a number of sites for a month.

He added that officials have never inspected any construction sites, including the airport's third runway project where there has been an outbreak.

Meanwhile he says having construction workers take Covid-19 tests to show a negative result in order to enter the site is not productive -- and that instead these workers should be tested right away to find out the source of transmission.

Dr Ho says construction sites should be tested

Ho also criticized the government for exempting mainland pharmaceutical company Sinovac from having to publish data from late-stage clinical trials in a medical journal before its Covid vaccine can be considered for emergency use in Hong Kong.

He said publication is one of the more than two dozen requirements listed by the World Health Organization before a vaccine can be cleared for use.

Ouch.

And then on the weekend it was reported that Chinese University gastroenterologist Dr Joseph Sung Jao-yiu, who led the fight against SARS back in 2003 is leaving Hong Kong to become dean of the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.  

Hong Kong has over 10,600 Covid-19 infections and 186 deaths. Sung says the Hong Kong government's efforts to contain the virus was "not doing too bad, but it can be better".

He says the U-turn on allowing the Lunar New Year flower markets to open contradicted the current gathering ban in restaurants of two per table, and closing at 6pm, while students were barred from having in-person classes.

Dr Sun says govt U-turns are confusing for public

The U-turns, Sung said, made people confused.

And when it came to possible discrimination against different groups in society, Sung said, "We could have done better with the dancing group. That's all I can say."

A lot can be inferred from his comment. If more was done to force this group to reveal more contact tracing information, this fourth wave may not have been as prolonged and widespread...

December Misery Covid-Style

Now you can pick up Covid-19 tests at a nearby MTR station

It looks like the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays are going to be really low-key this year after infectious disease experts warned the current fourth wave has yet to peak -- if people gather for festivities later this month then cases could surge.

Today 78 cases were reported.

Dr Ho Pak-leung, head of the University of Hong Kong's Centre for Infection, said it was "very worrying" to see an increasing number of untraceable cases, numerous local infections, and various clusters involving different venues.

Dr Ho says it's hard to control virus by Dec 31

He warned as temperatures drop, the situation could get worse and problems could rise if people flout social-distancing measures by gathering for Christmas.

"It's basically impossible to put the fourth wave under control by the end of the year," Ho said.

How depressing, not just for the city, which has cancelled the fireworks display, but also for hotels and restaurants, who can probably expect the current measures of two to a table to continues until at least the end of the year.

Meanwhile, getting tested for the coronavirus got easier, well sort of, with testing kits distributed in vending machines in 10 MTR stations.  They are: North Point, Wong Chuk Hang, Kowloon, Kwai Fong, Tsing Yi, Ngau Tau Kok, Tiu Keng Leng, Tai Wai, Tai Po Market, and Siu Hong.

People can use their Octopus card to get free test

The kits are free and people can get them by using their Octopus card, and then scan the QR code to find out where they can send the specimen bottles back to get test results. 

While each station distributes about 1,000 kits per day, the first day, by 11.30am over 6,500 kits were distributed and the machines ran out of kits very quickly, except for the machine at Wong Chuk Hang.

Are these people stocking up on free kits to use whenever they feel somewhat ill? Or are people trying to collect as many test kits as possible for hoarding? It's really bizarre. 

Let's see how many of these tests are actually returned with specimens in them...

Not Enough Flu Vaccines in HK

Sophia Chan gets her flu jab today and urges everyone else too

 

We were warned a few months ago that the winter months would be bad because of the double whammy of flu season and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Medical experts in Hong Kong have warned people should get their flu shots early this year to keep the number of influenza-related illnesses down.

But there are not enough flu jabs to go around

Earlier today Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee made the appeal as she got her flu jab.

But how can we get the flu vaccine if there isn't enough for all 7.8 million residents?

Apparently the city has only ordered 878,000 doses of the flu vaccine that will arrive next month, and has yet to secure another 100,000 doses.

Director of Health, Dr Constance Chan Hon-yee says the government is trying to contact various pharmaceutical companies to get enough additional doses to meet a surge in demand.

"We ordered [more] doses additionally. We have ordered, and hope that they could arrive by mid-November," Chan said, adding the government would like to purchase more vaccine, but "this wish might not be realized".

Constance Chan says more flu jabs on the way

There is a government program to provide subsidized flu jabs to people in high-risk groups, such as those aged 50 and above, children and pregnant women when they visit participating private clinics.

For those who don't fall into those categories should practice good hygiene (how many times have we heard this over the past 10 months?) and have healthy living conditions.

How reassuring.

University of Hong Kong microbiologist Professor Ho Pak-leung says the number of doses procured by the government is the highest in the past four years, but will still not be enough.

"Referring to the winter flu peak period last year, the demand for primary school students and the elderly reached more than 800,000 doses of vaccine and that will definitely not be enough to meet demand this year," he said.

Leung says Hong Kong needs more flu vaccines

Hopefully those in the aforementioned high-risk groups will get the injections, and as for the rest of us, keep washing your hands with soap for 20 seconds and wear a mask!

Politically-Motivated Messaging

Lam accuses those not willing to be tested as smearing the central government

Today Hong Kong recorded 19 new cases, more than double the count yesterday, and interestingly the government decided today to announce a slight easing of social-distancing measures.

From Friday people will be able to eat dinner in restaurants until 9pm though only two per table, and people don't have to wear masks while exercising, as well as when in country parks. Non-contact sports like golf and tennis will be restarted and cinemas will open too though no eating or drinking during the screening.

Chan announces relaxation in social-distancing measures

It seems strange the government is relaxing these measures before the start of the free mass two-week coronavirus testing on September 1.

When this was pointed out to the Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee at a press conference early this afternoon, she just parroted the same line that it was important to use the universal testing as a way to find asymptomatic carriers in the community and that it was good for everyone to take the test.

Chan did not answer the question, and it's a valid concern.

She also seemed to blame the public for having pandemic fatigue as another reason to loosen the restrictions, perhaps a hint that if there is another uptick in cases, local residents should be blamed.

Yesterday two infectious disease experts, Dr Ho Pak-leung, a University of Hong Kong microbiologist, and Dr Leung Chi-chiu, a respiratory medicine specialist, publicly stated they would not get tested for the voluntary testing program.

People can dine in restaurants until 9pm starting Friday

When Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was asked by an RTHK reporter what she thought of "well-known people" not taking the test, her tone turned angry.

"I will make a strong plea, that well-known people, especially in the relevant professional areas, should really express their view in a more responsible way, since this is about public health, let's focus on public health," she said.

"Why should some people refuse to do the test?" she asked. "This question should not be answered by me. It should be answered by those who smear the scheme since it was launched, and by those so-called experts and doctors who ask the public not to join by using excuses.

"There's only one reason. It's because of political consideration and calculations -- to find another issue to smear the central government."

Dr Ho Pak-leung said he would not take the free virus test

Ouch.

Someone was getting very touchy and tried to link some experts' reluctance to take the test as a way to tarnish the central government -- who by the way is footing the bill and manpower to conduct the coronavirus tests.

These two experts just said they were not going to take the test. Others have privacy concerns, that the mainland companies conducting the tests, maybe collecting biometric data of Hongkongers that could be used to develop a health code similar to what China has at present.

Meanwhile the same RTHK reporter asked why the government was organizing this mass testing, when it could have arranged for the Legislative Council elections to take place, but instead postponed it for a year, blaming it on the pandemic.

Lam was not happy to have this question and pointed out that it was inappropriate and unreasonable to compare the two.

Dr Leung Chi-chiu publicly said he would not take the test

"I think there are a lot of differences between the two arrangements," she said. "As far as universal communal testing is concerned, we are not cramming it into a single day. We have allowed ourselves up to two weeks to invite members of the community to come forward for the testing.

"Secondly, we are going to do an online booking system. So preferably we won't be seeing crowds or long queues in front of the swabbing stations to have the test done," Lam said.

But others still could not understand why an election could not be organized in say two or three days and have an online booking system of when to vote and line up at the appointed time to avoid the long queues Lam is so concerned about.

And even better, people who are voting will not take their masks off, whereas those conducting virus tests could have a chance of being exposed to Covid-19, and must wear full personal protective equipment.

But alas we must be grateful to the central government for footing the bill for these tests and not allowing us to exercise our right to vote.

Lam's combativeness with the media only reveals her short temper as well as her inability to understand why others don't have the same views as her...

Free Coronavirus Test, Anyone?

The Hong Kong government's latest slogan on fighting the coronavirus

As Hong Kong reported 27 new cases today, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor held a press conference and gave more details about the mass testing for the coronavirus that is set to begin on September 1 for two weeks.

Even though the number of new cases has significantly dropped in the last two days, the government is strongly encouraging everyone to take the free test sponsored by Beijing.

Anyone over the age of six can register online for the test, giving their name, HKID number, contact details, and preferred time and testing station to ensure social distancing.

Lam urged all Hongkongers to participate in the free test

When people arrive at the testing station, their details will be checked and then given a barcode on their test bottle. That way on the Department of Health knows the people's identities.

Then a trained doctor, nurse or dentist will administer the test, taking nose and throat swabs and then put them in the test bottle.

If the person tests negative for the virus they will get an SMS message; if they are positive, then arrangements will be made for them to get medical treatment as soon as possible.

The 150 swab stations will be open from 8am to 8pm everyday for two weeks. After the samples are tested they will be destroyed in Hong Kong.

While Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee hopes 5 million people will take advantage of the one-time free test, it is uncertain whether that many people will actually take part.

Handing out testing kits to residents in Tsz Wan Shan earlier

"The more tests we do to identify more cases, the less we have to worry about," she said.

Secretary for Civil Service Patrick Nip Tak-kuen says those who take the test will have their privacy respected.

"The tests will only be carried out in the city, and neither the personal details or the specimen bottles will be sent outside the city," he said.

"We know the program is voluntary, but we hope the public can participate actively... so that we can identify more hidden cases, and cut off the transmission chain earlier," Nip continued. "For yourself, for your loved ones, and for those medical workers, please participate."

Sounds like they are practically begging people to take the test.

Lam even pleaded with the media to report on the test "objectively" and encourage the public to take the test.

But Hong Kong's top infectious disease experts question the effectiveness of mass testing if only a few people participate.

Dr Ho said today that mass testing is like "wasting bullets"

University of Hong Kong microbiologist Ho Pak-leung said the government would be "wasting bullets" if the tests are not targeted at people with higher risk of infection.

He cited the case of Tsz Wan Shan, a Covid-19 hotspot, where 40,000 free tests were given out to public housing residents there; of the 29,000 samples collected, only a few tested positive.

Ho said it would be better to focus more on patients in hospitals and frontline workers in hospitals and elderly care homes. He also added the mainland brought the disease under control from early diagnosis and isolation.

"You have to aim at some targets, otherwise you are just wasting bullets."

Touche.

New Covid-19 Cases and June 4 Vigil Banned

Three women were infected with the virus at this warehouse

Hongkongers are on high alert again after three local residents were tested positive for the coronavirus. Two women worked at Kerry Logistics warehouse in Kwai Chung, and a paramedic handling the two patients also got infected.

The two women are linked to a 34-year-old woman who tested weak positive for the virus on Sunday, and her 56-year-old husband is positive too.

Dr Chui said hand hygiene and masks important

There are now 1,087 cases in Hong Kong.

Reporters asked health officials if further social distancing measures needed to be applied, but they repeatedly stressed individuals to be diligent about hygiene, frequent hand washing and wearing masks.

Infectious diseases expert Dr Ho Pak-leung from the University of Hong Kong suggests perhaps the women at the warehouse may have come into contact with someone who may have violated home quarantine measures, or recovered coronavirus patients who may have relapsed.

There are now 1,087 cases in Hong Kong

"The government should not have a false sense of security and think these cases will not cause a community outbreak," Ho said.

He urged officials to step up monitoring of those undergoing home quarantine and recovered patients.

While Ho said restaurants should continue to limit gatherings of eight per table, when it comes to people being outdoors, as long as they are wearing a mask it is not necessary to limit gatherings.

So for the Hong Kong police to ban this Thursday's candlelight vigil in Victoria Park to mark the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre due to Covid-19 is regrettable.

It claimed that people could not gather in groups of bigger than eight, and that any large assemblies could increase infection risks for the public.

The June 4 candlelight vigil is banned this year

Pan-democrat Lee Cheuk-yan, who chairs the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, has said the government's extension of the restriction on gatherings a political one, pointing out schools had started to reopen and allowed larger religious gatherings.

At a press conference following Monday's decision, Lee said the police were simply using the virus as a pretext to do something they had intended to do.

"This year, on the 31st anniversary [of Tiananmen Square], without even having the national security law in place, [the vigil] was banned by the police in the name of the virus," said Lee.

"We believe this is totally unreasonable and unscientific, because everything is normal in Hong Kong. They are just using this excuse to suppress our rally," he added.

Lee says police ban is political

Lee said whether the vigil was allowed or not was a "litmus test" for the "one country, two systems" principle.

In any event, organizers have called for people to join an online commemoration and people can pick up candles from 60 booths around the city that day. The program includes observing a minute of silence at 8.09pm.

Sadly last year might be the last vigil Hongkongers could gather to mark the horrific and tragic events of June 1989. We may see more "last time" events this year...

Infected Cases Continue to Surge

More people returning to Hong Kong means more possible infected cases

There was a record 48 new cases of people infected by the coronavirus reported today, to a total of 256 confirmed cases, making a lot of people in Hong Kong jump in alarm.

And they should.

Some of the cases were people congregating around Lan Kwai Fong -- I thought that area was not the "in place" anymore -- and another case in the gym chain that I belong to, and several were travelers who returned from overseas like Europe, the United States and Canada.

Dr Chuang reported there were 48 new cases in Hong Kong

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, of the Centre for Health Protection's communicable disease branch, warns there could be a lot more cases in the coming days.

"As some of the cases had travel history a few days before... with the incoming number of residents returning to Hong Kong, we may see a high number of cases for at least two weeks or more," she said. 

This is why Hongkongers must not let their guard down, says Professor Gabriel Leung, dean of the University of Hong Kong's medical faculty and a member of Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor's expert panel on the viral outbreak.

"It is absolutely critical especially as we have this influx of Hong Kong returnees starting from a few days ago and continuing for the next few days. This is the highest risk and we must be extra vigilant."

Dr Leung says Hong Kong is at war with the virus

Leung was concerned the flood of people coming back to the city could spark a second wave of infections, and worse, spread through the community, like what happened in South Korea in the first few weeks of the outbreak there.

"It is absolutely critical especially as we have this influx of Hong Kong returnees starting from a few days ago and continuing for the next few days. This is the highest risk and we must be extra vigilant."

Meanwhile top microbiologist Ho Pak-leung also at HKU, also expects there will be an additional 200 cases in the next two to three weeks. He suggested it would be best to immediately isolate travelers in quarantine, as even sharing bathrooms could spread the virus.

"When one patient passes the virus to two people in the community to form an unknown number of hidden transmission chains, then it's very likely that we will have 400 to 600 cases in the next two weeks," Ho said. If that happened, then "Hong Kong is at war".

Dr Ho predicts there could be an additional 200 cases

Other reported cases today include a man who went to the same gym I go to but different location, and a bank employee who attended a wedding celebration where cocktails were served and she mingled with others.

The fears of cases in Lan Kwai Fong that were reported yesterday had scared off a lot of diners tonight and this weekend, just as there was a campaign called #unitedwedine that kicked off with special, cheaper menus in the hopes of enticing diners back to restaurants.

The next few weeks will be critical and hopefully enough people have gotten the message to stay home not just for their safety, but also the safety of others.

More Quarantine Measures to Come?

Those who are flying back to Hong Kong should self-quarantine

A leading infectious diseases expert in Hong Kong is suggesting that everyone traveling back to Hong Kong should quarantine themselves for at least 14 days.

Professor Yuen Kwok-yung at the University of Hong Kong said it would be good to expand mandatory quarantine to everyone, as the coronavirus has reached the pandemic stage.

Yuen says expanding quarantine could prevent spread of virus

"Now, we are not clear as to the capacity of the public health system and the testing abilities of many places, therefore I think we should take this approach," he said during a morning radio program today.

About 70 percent of Hong Kong's confirmed coronavirus cases in the past two weeks were recent travelers and at least 10 of them didn't declare any symptoms on arrival.

Yuen's colleague, Dr Ho Pak-leung, also suggested all travelers go through self-quarantine. He said in the past two weeks, 33 of the 46 confirmed cases were from people traveling abroad during their incubation history.

"Even if some were listed as possibly local cases instead of imported ones, I think it's likely they were imported based on the travel history," Ho said on another radio program.

"What surprised me the most is that among the 33 cases, at least 10 developed symptoms before flying to Hong Kong. Some had throat pain and some had ever. But they all entered Hong Kong smoothly. None declared that they felt unwell."

Dr Ho Pak-leung says many cases were incubated abroad

Interesting observation. Maybe it's because they heard the horror stories of the conditions of some of the government quarantine sites and so they feigned being well while going through immigration.

In some cases, travelers in government quarantine camps complained to the media of dirt floors, toilets not working, not enough toilet paper or not having enough to eat.

But some people -- who have a place to live in Hong Kong -- are enjoying the quarantine camps so much that the government will start charging HK$200 (US$25.75) a day per person.

That's because there are some people who are abusing the system by going to the mainland several times, and then coming back to be quarantined in these camps each time even though they have residences in Hong Kong to go to.

Perhaps they like the relatively clean accommodations, three meals a day, and it's free!

Carrie Lam inspects a room at a quarantine camp. Nice?

There are some people who live in subdivided flats and having a room with a private bathroom to themselves is an absolute luxury, others maybe they have family issues at home?

This kind of exposes the social safety net in Hong Kong, particularly the housing affordability issue. Will the government finally deal with it head on or just continue to let the problem fester?

In the meantime, will a HK$200 daily charge deter abusers of the system? Surely there should be an online database of people's names to crosscheck to see if they have been in the quarantine camps more than once... or has the government not thought of that yet?

Our taxpayer dollars at work...