London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 08, 2025

Hong Kong's tough Covid laws threatened by virus surge

Hong Kong's tough Covid laws threatened by virus surge

Hong Kong has recorded more than 1,000 Covid infections for the first time since the pandemic began in a worrying milestone for officials who are aggressively pushing for zero-Covid.
The city has some of the toughest virus restrictions in the world.

Those who test positive for Covid are sent straight to hospital and there are strict curbs on dining out and social gatherings.

There are fears that the rising cases will overwhelm the health system.

The city's isolation wards are already at 90% of their capacity, with cases expected to rise exponentially over the next few days.

Local papers report that as of Wednesday evening, there were still 200 confirmed patients waiting to be transport to a hospital, with reports of people who tested positive rushing to accident and emergency units.

Health authorities say patients may have to wait up to a few days to be admitted.

Hong Kong news outlet the South China Morning Post reported that officials were considering using hotels to house asymptomatic patients to avoid straining the public healthcare system.

The latest surge in infections is believed to be due to extended family gatherings over the lunar new year.The city is also expected to tighten Covid restrictions as it shows no signs on letting up on its strategy to follow China's policy of eliminating the virus rather than living with it.

Most recently, city officials controversially ordered the mass culling of hamsters from a pet shop over fears of animal-to-human Covid transmission.

Additionally, not more than two people can gather in public, restaurants are shut for dine-in with only takeaways allowed, and facilities like libraries, museums and gyms have been shut.

This has caused massive strain on business owners, with some experts saying prolonged restrictions of this nature could threaten the city's status as an Asian financial hub and drive smaller local businesses to ruin.

However, officials are doubling down.

The BBC's Jeff Li in Hong Kong reports that one pro-Beijing Hong Kong lawmaker has said anyone advocating to live with Covid should be charged under the controversial national security law which has been used to persecute dozens of pro-democracy activists.

The lawmaker argued such a policy was akin to starting "biological warfare".

Our correspondent adds that the city's government was quick to assert that "general discussion" over the effectiveness of the zero covid policy was not illegal.

However, he says that the goal of Hong Kong's "zero Covid" pursuit - to allow residents quarantine-free travel to the Chinese mainland - seems further away than ever.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Brand-New $1 Million Yacht Sinks Just Fifteen Minutes After Maiden Launch in Turkey
Here’s What the FBI Seized in John Bolton Raid — and the Legal Risks He Faces
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Queen Camilla’s Teenage Courage: Fended Off Attempted Assault on London Train, New Biography Reveals
Scottish Brothers Set Record in Historic Pacific Row
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Court of Appeal Allows Asylum Seekers to Remain at Essex Hotel Amid Local Tax Boycott Threats
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
Woody Allen: "I Would Be Happy to Direct Trump Again in a Film"
×