COVID-19: Hong Kong imposes first lockdown due to surge in cases

In view of the rising number of coronavirus cases, the Hong Kong government has imposed its first COVID-19 lock down in Jordan, a neighbourhood on the Kowloon Peninsula.

The government made a “restriction-testing declaration”, which requires residents from parts of the bustling neighborhood of Jordan to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing arranged by the government, CNN reported citing a statement.

Jordan is a dense and thriving urban area with high-rise apartments, businesses, and restaurants. The lock down area includes Temple Street, home to the iconic night market popular with tourists, CNN reported.

Residents will be required to stay at their homes until all the residents are subjected to mandatory testing, which the authorities aim to complete under the time frame of 48 hours.

Thousands of Hong Kong residents are affected by the lock down, said the government’s information office.

Wong Kam-sin, Hong Kong’s Secretary for the Environment, said that the water from the pipes of several buildings in the area was being tested to ascertain whether the coronavirus is spreading through sewage.

In a separate statement Kam-sin said, the Hong Kong government announced that roads in the “restricted area” would also be closed to traffic.

According to South China Morning Post, Hong Kong has exceeded 10,000 coronavirus cases. The latest tally of infections has recorded 10,009, with 168 related deaths. (ANI)