Hong Kong urges residents not to panic amid spike in COVID-19 cases

Hong Kong authorities battling an outbreak of the novel coronavirus are urging citizens not to panic after residents stormed grocery stores this week over the expectation of an imminent lockdown.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam previously said there would not be a citywide lockdown and compulsory testing. But on Monday, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said that option was not ruled out, spurring residents to grocery stores, banks and pharmacies, according to Reuters.

The city government on Tuesday said it was considering options for mass testing and currently refining those plans, Reuters reported.

Hong Kong has battled an unprecedented wave of COVID-19 this year for a city that largely avoided mass infections early in the pandemic.

In early February, Lam rolled out more stringent restrictions, including closing churches and salons and limiting social gatherings, after 2,600 confirmed cases were reported in the past two weeks, compared to just two in December.

Amid the spike in cases, Hong Kong officials traveled to China to meet with health authorities who approved sending lab equipment to assist the city.

According to a chart compiled by Reuters, 32,359 cases were reported in Hong Kong on Feb. 27, with 82 deaths on that same day.

Since the pandemic began, there have been 238,377 infections and 744 coronavirus-related deaths.

Hong Kong was reporting under 100 cases per day until late January, according to the chart.