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Coronavirus: hospital beds in Hong Kong will run out ‘very soon’ under current infection surge, health officials warn as 59 more cases confirmed
- Fears that isolation wards are short of capacity required as Hong Kong’s infected total hits 641
- Social curbs restricting basic freedoms such as gathering in public take effect in another blow for businesses
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Hong Kong would run out of hospital beds to cope with the daily surge in coronavirus infections “very soon”, health officials warned, as the city confirmed another 59 cases on Sunday, taking the total to 641.
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On the day new social-distancing regulations came into force, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said the measures, such as curbing public gatherings, could remain for as long as it took for them to embed into daily life.
“The coming two weeks are going to be critical,” Chan said, adding social distancing should become a “habit” and warning more restrictions could follow.
Running from Sunday for 14 days, gatherings in public spaces have been limited to four people, although there is no restriction on how many people can congregate in private or work settings. Those who flout the law could be fined up to HK$25,000 (US$3,220) and jailed for six months.
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With Hong Kong’s streets quieter than usual, restaurant bosses said their businesses were taking another pounding, with revenues down a further 40 per cent from last week.
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