People wearing face masks as a precaution against coronavirus infection cross a road at a busy intersection in Hong Kong on Oct 18, 2020. (PETER PARKS / AFP)

HONG KONG – Hong Kong reported nine new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday – three locally transmitted and six imported – pushing the city’s tally to 5,479.

The three new local cases included that of a 76-year-old man whose infection source was unknown, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said in a statement.

The three new local cases included that of a 76-year-old man whose infection source was unknown, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said

The patient, who worked as a taxi driver, developed a cough on Nov 10 and shortness of breath on Monday. He lived at Yue Tin Court in Sha Tin and last went to work on Monday.

The other two local infections, a 50-year-old man and an 82-old-man who lived together at Kwai Shing West Estate in Kwai Chung, were linked to a previous patient, according to the CHP.

The six imported cases involved a 41-year-old man from Montenegro, a 34-year-old woman from Indonesia, an 18-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman from the United Kingdom, a 37-year-old woman from the Philippines, and a 12-year-old boy from Pakistan.

ALSO READ: Return2hk application window opens Wednesday

A total of 125 new coronavirus cases had been recorded over the past two weeks, including 31 local cases, 18 of which were of unknown origin.

According to the Hospital Authority, a total of 109 confirmed patients were being treated in 19 public hospitals, including eight patients in critical condition and two in serious condition.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DH) disallowed visitors for any person under compulsory quarantine in hotels. If confinees have the need to replenish goods or food, their friends, family members or hotel staff can place them outside the guestrooms for the confinees to pick up without face-to-face contact.

If a person under compulsory hotel quarantine needs the company of a carer, which requires prior permission from DH, the carer also has to be quarantined in the hotel till the end of the quarantine period. 

Starting Wednesday, Hong Kong residents returning from Guangdong province and the Macao special administrative region can sign up for cross-boundary travel plan that exempts them from 14 days of quarantine when they come back to Hong Kong.

READ MORE: Hong Kong reports 8 new COVID-19 cases, all imported

The program “Return2HK” will kick off on Monday with a daily quota capped at 5,000. Returnees must test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours before leaving for the city.

With inputs from Xinhua