Dining out banned in Hong Kong; biggest daily rise in cases in China since April; first local transmission of virus in Vietnam in months
China, Australia and Hong Kong have all reported rising coronavirus figures and Vietnam has detected its first locally transmitted cases since April, as countries across Asia try to fend off an apparent second wave of infections.
Hong Kong banned dining out and capped group gatherings at two on Monday after recording more than 100 new cases for five days running. Authorities in the densely populated city have also closed pools and sports venues and made mask-wearing mandatory in public, urging people to stay home as much as possible in the middle of a sweltering summer.
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Global infections stand at just under 16.2 million, with nearly 650,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University figures.
Japan’s economy minister says the government will urge businesses to aim for 70% telecommuting and enhance other social distancing measures amid a rise in cases among workers, some infected during after-work socialising, Reuters reports.
Cases in Papua New Guinea have nearly doubled in a weekend, with the emerging pandemic threatening to overwhelm the country’s already-fragile healthcare system.
New Zealand has reported zero cases of Covid-19 for the third day in a row.
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