Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported on Saturday that 11 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours, bringing total infections in the region to 1,000.
The new patients involved five men and six women, aged between 19 and 59, Head of the CHP's Communicable Disease Branch Chuang Shuk-kwan said at a daily press briefing on Saturday afternoon. Of all, 10 people had travel history and the other one suspected of becoming infected locally once visited a bar in Tsim Sha Tsui.
The case tally has been surging since about a month ago, when the number was only over 140, as the fast-spreading contagion overseas has boosted the risk of imported cases in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Daily increase hit a record of 65 cases on March 27, in sharp contrast with single-digit growth during the initial period of the COVID-19 outbreak.
With more than 300 patients already discharged after recovery, 650 people have still remained in the hospital for treatment, including 14 in critical condition, according to Hong Kong's Hospital Authority.
Despite milder daily increases in the past several days, health experts called on residents to stay alert and reduce social contact and stressed that outings during the ongoing Easter holiday will raise the risk of contagion.
The HKSAR government has stepped up anti-epidemic efforts in response to continued COVID-19 spread, including mandatory quarantines for inbound visitors and stringent social distancing measures.
In the latest move to cut transmission chains, temporary closures of entertainment venues in Hong Kong were expanded to beauty salons and massage parlors since Friday. Policies had been put in place to ban gatherings of more than four people, limit catering services in restaurants, and shut bars and karaoke lounges, among others.
