Residents wait for COVID-19 testing outside the Quarry Bay Community Complex in Hong Kong on November 23, 2020. PARKER ZHENG/CHINA DAILY

Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, urged residents today to stay at home and refrain from social gatherings, saying the next two weeks will be crucial to containing a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections.

Hong Kong yesterday (November 30) announced an array of anti-epidemic measures with more entertainment venues to be closed and heavier punishment for violations of social distancing and other restrictions in the pipeline.

Under the tightened measures, Hong Kong's iconic theme park Ocean Park, as well as the Hong Kong Disneyland, will temporarily shut down again from tomorrow (December 2) until further notices.

This is the third closure of the two entertaining venues since the epidemic outbreak in January.

File photo shows tourists taking cable cars at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, south China, June 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

Photo taken on June 17, 2020 shows a view of Hong Kong Disneyland. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Amusement arcades, karaoke lounges, mahjong parlors and swimming pools will be closed, and the number of diners at each table of restaurants will be capped at two. Public gatherings of more than two people will also be prohibited.

Further, face-to-face classes for students at kindergartens, primary and middle schools will be suspended from December 2 until the Christmas holiday.

The new measures came as 115 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported on Sunday, the highest notch in nearly four months. On Monday, Hong Kong reported 76 new COVID-19 cases, mainly domestically transmitted. Eighty-seven new cases were reported daily on average between November 23 and 29, 90 percent of which were locally transmitted, Lam said.

Editor: Becky

Sources: Xinhua; China Daily; CGTN