The authorities then asked the owners to hand over the hamsters bought after December 22. According to a spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, 77 of these rodents have so far been submitted from private farms and 71 of them have already been tested. The ministry has announced that one hamster in this group has tested positive.
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On Sunday, the spokesman “strongly advised” breeders to bring hamsters bought after the tent date to the ministry and expect the animals to be killed.
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Hong Kong administrator Carrie Lam said she understood that breeders did not like it, but said it was more important to prevent the spread of the virus. Many people have offered to adopt the animals, and the government has called the criticism unreasonable.
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Reuters reports that some scientists and veterinarians have warned that there is no evidence that animals are more involved in the spread of the virus.
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However, Hong Kong is implementing very strict measures and is trying to prevent the spread of the infection as strictly as possible. According to the authorities, there is a risk of exponential spread in the densely populated residential part of Kwai Chung on the Kowloon Peninsula. On Saturday, they closed the second apartment block there for five days, because a case of Covid-19 appeared there. About ten,000 people live in about a dozen apartment buildings, and they will all be tested. Lam went there on Sunday. On Saturday, she urged people to avoid gatherings, even as New Year’s Eve celebrations approach.
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Schools and gyms in Hong Kong are now closed, and restaurants must be closed from 6 p.m. Air traffic is very limited and severely disrupted. Some companies have switched from a hybrid regime to working from the home of all employees.
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