COVID: Hong Kong leader defends hamster killing | Coronavirus pandemic News

Carrie Lame says a hamster outbreak has led to a rise in COVID infections and urges residents to avoid New Year’s Eve events.

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has warned that COVID-19 infections can grow exponentially in a crowded residential area of ​​the city and said the overall case has risen as a result of the appearance of pet hamsters.

Chief Executive Lam urged the people of Hong Kong to avoid rallies before next week’s New Year’s Moon, as officials deal with the outbreak of the highly infectious Omicron variant in Kwai Chung, north of the city’s Kowloon Peninsula.

“We are concerned that the exponential growth of cases we have seen elsewhere in the world is happening in Kwai Chung,” Lam said on Saturday.

He is testing the situation Hong Kong’s “zero COVID” strategy aimed at eradicating the disease, with schools and gyms already closed, restaurants closed at 18:00 (10:00 GMT) and many sites cut off or severely disrupted air travel.

Speaking after meetings with health officials, Lam said there was only a “small chance” that the city-wide restrictions could be removed as planned on Feb. 4.

He said a second block of Kwai Chung housing, which is home to more than 2,000 people, would be closed for five days.

On Friday, officials closed the first Kwai Chung building for five days after more than 20 cases were linked to it, with food being delivered from outside three times a day and a massive test being conducted.

As of Saturday, officials had registered about 105 cases in Kwai Chung, including confirmed and positive preliminary tests.

In total, about 16 buildings in the area will have to undergo various restrictions and mandatory tests, which will affect about 35,000 residents, Lam added.

Local media said on Saturday that officials were considering tougher cuts to the entire city, but it has not yet been confirmed.

On Tuesday, authorities ordered it Killing about 2,000 hamsters Dozens of animals from the pet store found the coronavirus in a store employee, where later 11 hamsters tested positive for COVID-19.

Lam said cases of the Delta variant were also on the rise due to the appearance of hamsters.

“I understand that pet owners are unhappy … the biggest public interest is to control the pandemic,” Lam said.

Thousands of people have offered to take unwanted hamsters between the government and its public outcry against its pandemic advisers.