Coronavirus: Hong Kong shuts karaoke lounges, mahjong parlours and nightclubs to control outbreak
- Government widens its blanket over popular gathering spots but venues are caught off guard
- Beauty parlours among businesses that can stay open, even though a member of the industry is among 51 new infections
Most of the new infections were once again identified as imported cases, taking the city’s steadily rising tally to 765, but two more patients were added to a list of five who were traced back to a karaoke parlour in Tsim Sha Tsui, amplifying concerns about the need to further discourage social gatherings.
Unclear and last-minute messaging by the government sparked confusion before it was confirmed that the newly targeted venues must close for two weeks starting from Wednesday, but beauty parlours, massage establishments and clubhouses were allowed to remain open, subject to necessary precautions.
“Many [Exco] members have told the government for a long time to take action in banning more entertainment areas where people might gather,” an Executive Council member told the Post. “The confirmed cases in a karaoke lounge on Monday proved we cannot wait.”
The government announced in its electronic gazette that the regulation would come into force at 3pm for the six types of venues.
A government source said Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and the Executive Council had approved the move, but it was ultimately up to Secretary of Food and Health Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee to decide which businesses must shut and which only needed to adopt additional health protection measures.
