The new measure will target two districts covering a small but densely populated part of the Kowloon Peninsula.
Hong Kong will place tens of thousands of residents in a blockade to contain a new outbreak of coronavirus, the first such move the Chinese-led city has taken since the pandemic began, according to the South China Morning Post on Friday.
The Post, citing unnamed sources familiar with the situation, said the new measure would target Jordan and Sham Shui Po districts, which cover a small but densely populated part of the Kowloon Peninsula.
The districts are home to many older apartments, which have been split to make room for more people, providing the kind of conditions under which the virus could spread more easily.
“Persistent and widespread infection [in the areas] and the monitoring of wastewater suggests that the outbreak is not yet under control and there are still many silent sources in the area, “said a source.
Health officials in the 7.5 million-strong city isolated four apartment blocks in the area for the first time last Friday, stopping people from entering or leaving the buildings to make sure all residents were quarantined.
The government will only lift the blockade statement when it is satisfied that everyone in the area has been tested, the newspaper said.
Gyms, closed cinemas
Hong Kong has so far reported far fewer infections than other major cities in the world, with fewer than 10,000 cases in the past year. The death toll in the territory is 167.
On Thursday, health officials reported 70 cases, of which 63 were purchased locally, of which 16 were of unknown origin.
Last week, the city expanded work from home arrangements for civil servants.
Other COVID restrictions include banning indoor dining after 18:00 (10:00 GMT) and closing facilities such as gyms, gyms, beauty salons and cinemas.
Healthcare workers wear hazmat suits as residents of a queue for a mandatory COVID-19 test after an increase in cases in the Jordanian district of Kowloon [Anthony Wallace/AFP]
Hong Kong will also require the flight crew to enter the territory for more than two hours to be quarantined at a hotel for two weeks.
Meanwhile, officials have ordered health workers to refrain from socializing with others after four nurses from various hospitals tested positive or positive for the virus, the Hong Kong Free Press reported.
“We would like to remind our colleagues not to eat together during work or vacation,” Linda Yu, a senior health official, was quoted as saying by the news site.
“Soon is the celebration of the Lunar New Year, we hope that our colleagues will tolerate a little [longer] and maintain social distancing. ”