Mandatory COVID-19 tests ordered for all Hong Kong residents

Mandatory COVID-19 testing has been ordered for all Hong Kong residents amid a surge in cases.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that all residents will need to get tested three times in March, The Associated Press reported.

Lam says it will take about seven days to get the city’s population of more than 7 million people tested.

Hong Kong is aiming for a “zero-COVID-19” policy like China’s, but has faced rising case numbers since the beginning of 2022. Since Feb. 15, Hong Kong has seen more than 5,000 cases a day, according to the AP.

China has begun sending help to Hong Kong, with citizens of the city accusing its government of taking orders from Beijing.

“I reiterate that the central government never issued any instructions on our anti-epidemic work,” Lam said on Tuesday. “The central government will offer support as needed or upon our request, but of course we will always exchange our views.”

Locking down the whole city is not under consideration, but other strict COVID-19 measures have been implemented in Hong Kong. 

Last week, Lam announced that elections would be moved from March to May due to the pandemic.