Prognosis

Hong Kong Virus Cases Surge Again as City Sees ‘Fourth Wave’

Jump in infections threatens air travel bubble with Singapore
Officials report 21 new local cases Friday, most since Aug. 26

WATCH: Hong Kong's Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan says the city has probably entered into a new wave of coronavirus cases.Source: Bloomberg

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By Jinshan Hong

November 20, 2020 at 5:58 AM UTC

Updated on

November 20, 2020 at 9:52 PM UTC

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Hong Kong will impose new social restrictions and ask more students to stay home as local cases jump by the most in about three months, signaling the arrival of a new wave and threatening a high-profile travel air bubble with Singapore before its launch on Sunday.

The city reported 26 new infections on Friday, of which 21 are local. Nine of the local cases can’t be traced. The government has also detected over 40 preliminary cases awaiting confirmation, a sign that Friday’s jump is not an anomaly. The surge comes as other parts of Asia, including Japan and South Korea, see alarming flareups as colder weather sets in.