Hong Kong turns to 'ambush lockdowns' to fight COVID-19
27 January, 2021
Hong Kong has begun using "ambush lockdowns" to suddenly shut down and test everyone interior neighbourhoods where COVID-19 cases have spiked, as a spate of recent outbreaks lays bare the rampant inequality in the wealthy Chinese finance hub.
Police cordoned off a row of densely packed tenement buildings found in the Yau Ma Tei area overnight on Tuesday (Jan 26) to Wednesday morning to conduct mandatory tests.
The brand new tactic involves authorities giving no warning of an impending lockdown.
City leader Carrie Lam said such "ambush style" lockdowns were needed to ensure people didn't flee before testers move in.
"I thank residents in the restricted area for their cooperation," she wrote on her behalf Facebook page on Wednesday as the lockdown was lifted.
An identical two-day lockdown in a neighbourhood over the weekend was leaked to the media a day before police moved in.
Tuesday night's procedure was small.
Some 330 tests were conducted in 20 properties, with one COVID-19 case found.
But authorities say further ambush lockdowns may be necessary in the times ahead.
Hong Kong was among the first places to be struck by the coronavirus after it spilled out of central China.
It has recorded merely over 10,000 infections with some 170 deaths by imposing effective but economically ruinous social distancing measures for much of the last year.
In recent weeks, stubborn clusters have emerged in low-income neighbourhoods notorious for a few of the world's most cramped housing.
On paper, Hong Kong is among the richest cities on earth, but it is suffering from pervasive inequality, an acute housing shortage and eye-watering rents that successive administrations have didn't solve.
The common flat in Hong Kong is about 500 sq ft and sells for about HK$7 million (US$900,000).
Rents are punishing. Various therefore squeeze themselves into even smaller subdivided flats known as "cage homes" - cubicles which can be as tiny as 50 sq ft and even less, with shared bathrooms and showers inside ageing walk-up buildings.
It is found in these kinds of building where many clusters have already been found in recent weeks.
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