Coronavirus: two more Hongkongers linked with flurry of Buddhist hall cases test positive

• A woman, 55, who had been to the religious hall in North Point and her 24-year-old son are in hospital in Wan Chai
• If they were confirmed, the total number of coronavirus cases in Hong Kong would rise to 83

Two more Hongkongers linked with a string of coronavirus cases at a Buddhist worship hall tested positive for the infection on Tuesday, potentially bringing the city's total number of cases to 83.

A 55-year-old woman who had visited the Fook Wai Ching She hall in North Point was a probable case, along with her 24-year-old son.

She is the sister of a 57-year-old diagnosed on Monday with Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, after attending the religious venue.

The mother and son were being treated at Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai.

Six people have already been confirmed as infected this month after visiting the worship hall, located in the Maylun Apartments building on King's Road.

The latest patient's eldest sister had been to Osaka in Japan from January 26 to 31, and was in the Buddhist hall on January 25 and between February 1 and 6.

More than 100 people have called the government's coronavirus hotline to say they have visited the hall.

Sixteen of them, including the temple master, have been sent to quarantine camps, health authorities have said. Another 100 were under medical surveillance.

As of Tuesday morning, 81 people in Hong Kong had been confirmed as infected, two of those fatally.

Meanwhile, a city in mainland China has pledged to donate 1 million surgical masks to Hong Kong.

A statement from Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong on Monday night said: "The Shenzhen mayor Chen Rugui announced that Shenzhen People's Government will donate 100,000 masks every day to Hong Kong via the liaison office, with the first batch of 1 million.

"It is to support Hong Kong's work in fighting against the epidemic."

Deputy liaison chief Yang Jian was quoted as saying: "The generosity has demonstrated that Shenzhen and Hong Kong are one family, and warmed the hearts of Hong Kong people.

"This will strengthen our confidence and determination to overcome the difficulties and fight against the epidemic together."

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