Caution urged amid relatively fewer daily infections

Hong Kong has recorded a relatively small number of new coronavirus cases for the third consecutive day, but the Centre for Health Protection says it is still too early to say the number of new infections is on a downward trend, RTHK reports.

Officials said 13 new cases had been added today, bringing the total number recorded since the outbreak began to 973.

The city had seen sudden surge last week after more people returned from countries that has been hard hit by the virus outbreak, sending the total number of cases zooming past 900. But the last few days have seen a lesser number of new cases.

Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said it is difficult to judge if the worst is over.

"The number seems to be lower today but it's very difficult to conclude at this moment because of the long incubation period of the disease. We still need to observe the overseas situation and monitor the number of cases," she said.

The center said 10 of the new patients were people who returned from overseas.

Among the local cases, one is a 38-year-old man who visited a bar in Wan Chai hit by a wave of infections.

Another is a 37-year-old man who is the father of the youngest victim in Hong Kong, the 40-day-old baby who came down with disease last week. It is believed that a family friend who later tested positive for the virus had close contact with the baby.

Officials said they can’t find the source of infection of just one patient, a 43-year-old IT worker who lives in Sheung Wan.

The man developed fever on April 4, but had gone to work at Lee Garden till the previous day.

The officials said excepting this, eating at a fast food shop, and going jogging, he had mainly stayed at home.

Chuang reminded the public to avoid crowds even though some restaurants have resumed dine-in services.

"The general public should observe the social distancing measures as far as possible even they go to the fast-food shops. They should try to takeaway ... if they sit down, try to avoid close contact with each other," she said.

She also revealed that a 57-year-old cleaning lady who worked at two government clinics and confirmed to be infected with the virus, also worked evening shifts at restaurants Pizza Hut and PHD. Pizza Hut has shut a branch in Fanling temporarily.

More than 660 patients infected with the coronavirus are still hospitalised at public hospitals and14 of them are in a critical condition.