Cruises have been suspended and crowds banned from attending The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s race meetings among a raft of new restrictions introduced in Hong Kong to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Authorities announced 38 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday but with fears the outbreak could grow rapidly given events globally, Hong Kong has wasted no time in implementing widespread precautions.
Among those businesses ordered closed are 15 types of premises – bars and pubs, nightclubs, fitness centres, theme parks, museums, party rooms, beauty parlours, swimming pools, bathhouses, game centres, karaoke rooms, sports premises, Chinese-style gambling establishments (mahjong and tin kau), event and performance venues, and cinemas.
There are also restrictions on the number of people that can be seated at tables in restaurants, while public hospital and nursing home visits have been suspended.
Local tours and “cruise to nowhere” sailings by Genting Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean have been halted after a Royal Caribbean cruise was ordered back to port due to nine passengers being identified as a close contact of a confirmed Omicron case.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club issued a statement on Wednesday confirming public admission to last night’s meet at Happy Valley Racecourse was cancelled.
“Due to the latest COVID-19 situation in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has just been instructed by the HKSAR Government that we have to substantially reduce the number of attendance to the race meeting tonight,” it said. “As such, admission for the race meeting … is limited to Stewards, Voting Members, Owners, Members and their guests who have made advance bookings.”
Hong Kong also announced a 14-day ban on all flights from eight countries from 8 January – Australia, Canada, France, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, said she hoped the restrictions could be lifted sooner rather than later but insisted the actions were necessary as the SAR looks to open its borders with mainland China (and Macau) in time for Chinese New Year.
“There has been rapid change in the pandemic situation which has caused us to be worried,” she said.
“I’m sure [businesses] are rather anxious because they cannot do business anymore. I ask for their understanding.
“We will take bold and stringent measures so that within a very short period of time we can contain the Omicron variant.
“This time we are being very swift and heavy-handed right at the beginning because we want businesses to open during Lunar New Year and we want to resume talks with mainland China on cross-border travel.”
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