Cleaners in protective gears disinfect Heng Tai House public estate at Tai Po in Hong Kong on March 15, 2020, a day into evacuation of several residents after three residents were confirmed to have contracted the new coronavirus. (PARKER ZHENG / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG – The city on Sunday confirmed four more cases of coronavirus infection linked to overseas travel, taking the tally to 145, according to health officials. 

In view of rising cases in the United Kingdom and the United States, Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health said the government was considering tighter quarantine measures for arrivals from the two countries. 

The measures are expected to be announced soon, she added.

READ MORE: HK further tightens border control to curb virus spread

At the daily press briefing, Chuang also said that the government is studying whether to conduct a spot check at the borders for asymptomatic patients as it is done in Shenzhen to plug a loophole.

The government is studying whether to conduct a spot check at the borders for asymptomatic patients, said Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection

Separately, four of the 43 residents evacuated last night from a public housing block were tested negative of the disease. The evacuation was a precautionary measure taken after three residents in the block were confirmed to have been infected by the virus. 

An 87-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman developed mild symptoms during the evacuation and were sent to the hospital. Both of them were later tested negative to the virus.

The others have been sent to quarantine centers. Two children developed fever but were also tested negative.

All of the samples collected from the residents and some environmental samples collected from the building will be sent to laboratories for further tests. 

Among the new confirmed cases is a 35-year-old man who visited Hokkaido in Japan from Feb 16 to March 11, and a 29-year-old man who visited Germany and Austria from March 5 to 12. In Austria, the patient talked to a friend, who was later confirmed to be infected, without wearing a mask.

The other two cases involve two men who recently were on vacation in France together with some of their friends. 

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A foreign couple, who visited Toronto of Canada and New York and Boston of the United States from Feb 15 to March 9, were initially tested positive to the virus. They took flight CX811 back to Hong Kong on March 11. 

Also on Sunday, three more infected patients were discharged, bringing the number of recoveries to 83.