CE: people need to remain alert as dawn is coming

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said Hong Kong was seeing the arrival of dawn in its fight against the coronavirus epidemic, but citizens should remain vigilant. 

Lam said on her online blog today that the government was relieved to see a significant drop in the number of new infection cases recently, after implementing the social distancing measures on 29 March. She added government officials were extremely worried when the surge of new local infection cases exceeded 60 each day at the end of March, as many Hong Kong residents returned from abroad. 

She said government officials “bit the bullet and resolutely took stringent measures in response to the situation” and prevented the local transmission in the SAR.

The coronavirus outbreak has infected 1,036 people in Hong Kong, the city had seen single-digit counts in new cases each day for almost two weeks. 

But she urged the public not to let down their guards. 

“Though we are a bit relieved to see a significant drop in the number of confirmed cases recently, the Government needs to remain alert given the volatility of the epidemic,” she wrote. 

The city's chief said she understood that the extension of the social distancing measures to May 7 was another blow to the affected business sectors, but said her cabinet would continue to listen to the views of experts and various sectors to adjust their strategy according to the actual situation of the epidemic. 

“I am confident that Hong Kong will come through the epidemic and the economic downturn. As long as we can hold on for some more time, we will soon see a bright tomorrow,” she added.