Hong Kong reports 2,071 new COVID-19 cases, gov't rolls out sixth-round relief

HONG KONG, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong recorded 2,071 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, according to data from the Center for Health Protection on Monday.

Of the newly reported cases, 19 were imported and the rest were local cases.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Monday issued a paper to the Legislative Council Finance Committee to seek injection of 27 billion HK dollars (3.46 billion U.S. dollars) into the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF).

A total of 48 measures will be introduced under the sixth-round AEF to support businesses and individuals affected by the pandemic and tightening of the social distancing measures.

Businesses and premises to be benefited involve different sectors, including catering premises, beauty parlors, fitness centers, cinemas, the tourism sector, hotels, and passenger transport trade.

Beneficiaries also include individuals such as people working in the hard-hit businesses and frontline staff who have been making contributions to anti-epidemic efforts, as well as those who are temporarily unemployed.

John Lee, the chief secretary for administration of the HKSAR government, said that the HKSAR government fully understands the impact the pandemic and tightening of social distancing measures have brought to the community, particularly to people at the grassroots.

He said that greater emphasis is put on providing relief to individuals in this round of AEF, with over 60 percent of the total financial commitment dedicated to providing relief to individuals. This is also the first time the HKSAR government introduced a temporary unemployment relief. (1 U.S. dollar equals 7.8 HK dollars)