HK reports 3 new infections, lowest daily count in a month

HONG KONG - Hong Kong reported three new coronavirus cases on Tuesday – the lowest daily increase since March 12 – bringing the city's infection tally to 1,012.

Health officials said although the single-digit daily count for three days on a row was a good sign, it's too early to conclude that the anti-pandemic battle has been won, urging residents to remain vigilant in case of a resurgence of new infections.

All patients of the latest COVID-19 cases had a recent travel history, including a 53-year-old man who visited the United States and a 16-year-old boy who returned from school in the US. Though testing positive for the coronavirus, both of them showed no symptoms, said Chuang Shuk-kwan, who heads the Centre for Health Protection's communicable disease branch.

Currently, all arrivals at the airport are required to have their deep-throat saliva samples collected at the test center in Asia World-Expo. Those people coming from the US, the United Kingdom and other European countries are required to remain at the center before their results are out.

Another patient identified on Tuesday is a 22-year-old student who returned from the UK on March 24. He tested positive for the virus at a private clinic after completing the mandatory two-week home quarantine. His close contacts will be put under quarantine in government facilities.

A 61-year-old man, who was identified by local media to be renowned Hong Kong tenor Warren Mok Wah-yeun, was said to be infected and was earlier discharged from hospital in Thailand. But he tested positive for the virus after returning to Hong Kong on April 12.

The Hospital Authority said 37 more patients were discharged from hospital on Tuesday, while 13 coronavirus patients remained in critical condition.