Hong Kong to shut schools amid increase in fresh coronavirus cases

Hong Kong's education minister has reportedly said on July 10 that the Chinese autonomous territory will shutter down all schools due to sudden spike in coronavirus infections. According to the reports, the government has directed all the schools for compulsory closure to curb the spread of deadly virus after the territory witnessed an exponential growth of locally transmitted cases in the last few days. 

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34 fresh cases reported

Hong Kong recorded 34 fresh coronavirus cases on Thursday which is believed to be the highest daily count in more than three months. The education minister Kevin Yeung reportedly said that this move has been taken keeping in mind the safety and security of the community as well as the students' health. He added that those students who were scheduled to take exams would be permitted maintaining protocols like wearing face masks and social distancing. According to the reports, the public schools in the city were first closed in January seeing a spike in cases and got re-opened in May after successfully curbing the infections. But the new clusters have occurred in the past few days including an elderly home that reported at least 32 cases. 

READ: Hong Kong Shuts Schools As New Virus Cases Increase

In the early phases of the coronavirus outbreak, Hong Kong did relatively well in containing the spread by aggressively tracing, testing, and isolating patients while shutting down the borders. A spokesperson for the CHP said in a statement that the situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and that there is a continuous increase in the number of cases reported around the world, urging residents to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong.

The department further advised Hong Kong residents to properly maintain drainage pipes, regularly pour water into drain outlets (U-traps) and cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use. The CHP also people to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene without fail.

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Image: AP