Hong Kong will make wearing masks in public compulsory and limit gatherings to no more than two people as officials in the city grapple with a rising surge in coronavirus infections.
On Monday, Hong Kong's Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung announced that face masks would be mandatory in both indoor and outdoor public places from Wednesday, with offenders facing fines of up to 5,000 Hong Kong dollars , although he didn't specify how the new measure would be enforced.
The restrictions come as the city faces a coronavirus outbreak dubbed locally as its "third wave," with the origin of many infections still unknown. Hong Kong had been lauded for its relative success in curbing the spread of the coronavirus. However, on Monday, Hong Kong authorities reported more than 100 new cases for the sixth straight day, bringing the city's total to more than 2,700.
The new restrictions are the tightest rules yet introduced in Hong Kong, which had previously limited public gatherings to four people. Though a majority of Hong Kong residents have willingly worn masks in public since the outbreak began earlier this year, face coverings remain a highly contentious and politicized issue in other parts of the world. In the United States and elsewhere, a number of senior politicians have appeared reluctant to endorse their usage despite evidence showing face masks protect both the wearer and others from Covid-19.
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