People will have to test negative for Covid-19 before they can enter bars or nightclubs from Thursday, as Hong Kong strives to curb a rebound in coronavirus cases ahead of the 25th anniversary of the handover.

Health Secretary Sophia Chan said bar and club customers will have to present proof of a negative rapid antigen test result obtained in the previous 24 hours.

People will be able to show venue staff a photo of their negative result, as long as they write their name on the test, along with the date and time that it was taken.

The new requirement will be in place until at least June 29.

Chan told a news conference that spot checks at bars and clubs have revealed that some venues have been violating coronavirus rules, adding that the situation is "extremely concerning".

Officials have linked 350 Covid-19 infections to bars and clubs since they reopened last month.

Chan warned that the daily Covid toll could exceed 1,000 this month and said authorities have stepped up contact tracing to tackle the rising trend of infections.

"The 25th handover anniversary is approaching. It's an important milestone for Hong Kong. We will do our best to ensure the celebrations can go ahead. The cooperation of businesses and individuals is important to ensure our coronavirus situation remains stable," she said.

Hong Kong reported 849 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, including 97 imported cases.
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Last updated: 2022-06-15 HKT 00:18