Hong Kong orders expat enclave of Discovery Bay to get tested

[HONG KONG] Hong Kong ordered the 20,000-strong upscale community of Discovery Bay to be tested for Covid-19 as the city steps up efforts to battle a widening outbreak.

Anyone who was on Lantau Island's Discovery Bay on for more than 2 hours from Jan 26 to Feb 8 is required to be tested after sewage samples were found to be positive for the virus, according to a government compulsory testing notice. The required testing dates are Feb 8-13, the statement said.

Discovery Bay - a residential development that's 30 minutes away from downtown Hong Kong by ferry - is unique in Hong Kong in that it's entirely operated by one company. The neighbourhood - home to bankers, lawyers and airline pilots - is famous for its use of pricey golf carts, which in the past have sold for more than HK$2 million (S$345,000). According to a 2016 census, more than half its residents were non-Chinese.

The authorities are turning to extreme measures to try and tame an outbreak of the Omicron that's seen cases doubling every few days. The city will limit multi-household gatherings on private premises to 2 families starting Thursday (Feb 10). Despite the explosion in cases, Beijing has made it clear Hong Kong has no choice but to stick to the Covid Zero policy that's seen the city isolate itself from the world for much of the past 2 years. BLOOMBERG