Hong Kong Enforces Lockdown on 200 Buildings and Mandates COVID-19 Testing

Sudden Operation at Dawn on Saturday Without Notice
Over 1,000 Officials Including Police Deployed, Aiming to Complete Within 48 Hours

[Asia Economy Reporter Onyu Lim] The Hong Kong government on the early morning of the 23rd abruptly sealed off 200 old buildings in the city center and is conducting mandatory COVID-19 testing on tens of thousands of people.

According to local media including the South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 23rd, the Hong Kong government sealed off about 200 buildings in the Yau Tsim Mong District starting at 4 a.m. local time. Yau Tsim Mong District, which includes Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Mong Kok, is a central urban area of Hong Kong.

The authorities explained that many of the buildings subject to the sudden lockdown are apartments that have been subdivided into multiple units and rented out to many people, resulting in high population density and poor living conditions.

To prevent residents from leaving, more than 1,700 public officials including police officers were deployed on site. The authorities plan to conduct mandatory COVID-19 testing on all people inside the locked-down buildings over a 48-hour period during the weekend while controlling residents' movements.

After the lockdown is lifted, anyone leaving the area must present a negative COVID-19 test certificate. In a statement released on the day, the Hong Kong government said, "There will be short-term inconveniences, but we hope this lockdown will break the chain of infection and help restore business and livelihoods."

This is the first time Hong Kong has completely locked down a specific area and conducted mandatory COVID-19 testing on all residents. This method has been common in mainland China, including Wuhan, where the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Hong Kong, known worldwide for its high housing prices, has very limited living space per person and many low-income residents live in "jjokbang" (small rooms). Until now, the Hong Kong government had never imposed a full lockdown restricting freedom of movement, but this time it has introduced the "mainland China method" for the first time.

SCMP reported, "This lockdown, designating mandatory testing areas, is the strongest measure taken since the COVID-19 pandemic began."

On the 22nd, Hong Kong reported a total of 61 COVID-19 cases, including 55 community infections. As of the previous day, the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong was 9,929, with 168 deaths.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.