(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan today said Hong Kong may have entered into a new wave of the COVID-19 epidemic and the Government will continue to tighten the anti-epidemic measures in response.

Prof Chan made the remarks at a media session this afternoon.

She said: “According to the experts and also the information from the Centre for Health Protection, we have probably entered into a new wave of cases.

“But of course we are now doing our best, and before this severe situation started, in the past week, we have already tightened many of our measures including border control measures, quarantine measures, hotel regulation measures and also some of the social distancing measures. We will continue to tighten the measures.”

Prof Chan noted that the Government had already been preparing for a new wave of cases.

“Back in September, we have already listed six major areas in preparation for the fourth wave, so that our capacity and also many of our current measures can be executed as soon as possible in response to this wave.”

She added that stricter rules for hotel staycations would be announced soon.

“We met with the hotel industry last night and ironed out all the details that we would like the hotel industry to follow. For many of those instructions and measures, some of the hotels are already following or executing. But now that we have the law, we want to be very clear that we will be issuing the directions to the hotels as soon as possible.”

Prof Chan emphasised that the COVID-19 situation is currently severe in the city and appealed to citizens to stop all unnecessary gatherings.