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Apr exports value down 13%

The value of Hong Kong's total exports decreased to $338.3 billion in April, down 13% on the same month last year, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.   The value of imports of goods decreased 11.9% to $374.9 billion for the same period.   A trade deficit of $36.6 billion, or 9.8% of the value of imports, was recorded in April.   Comparing the three-month period ending April with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of exports rose 15.4%, while that of imports increased 10.7%.   The Government noted that the value of merchandise exports declined further from a year earlier in April. Exports to the Mainland, the US and the European Union all shrank and exports to other major Asian markets recorded decreases of varying degrees.   Looking ahead, it added that the weakness in the advanced economies will continue to weigh on Hong Kong's export performance, though the expected faster recovery of the Mainland economy should

19 COVID-19 cases detected

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)   The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 19 additional COVID-19 cases, all of which are locally transmitted.   The centre's Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan told a press briefing this afternoon that seven of the cases have unknown sources of infection.   Of the 12 cases linked with previous ones, one is from the Hong Kong International Airport Three-runway System construction site cluster and another works at an elderly care home run by the Salvation Army in Nam Shan Estate, Sham Shui Po.   One more staff member at the Langham Place branch of Uniqlo in Mong Kok has been confirmed infected, bringing the total number of cases there to four.   Today’s confirmed cases also include a nursing assistant at a private clinic on 16/F, 122 Queen’s Road Central. Five clinic workers who had close contact with the nursing assistant need to be quarantined.   Despite the number of new COVID-19 cases falling for a third day, Dr Chuang noted that it was too early to say the epidemic was under control.   “Although the number of confirmed cases is only 19 today, there are still seven unlinked cases in the city, and the cases live in various districts. Each patient can spread the virus to other people, so they are also sources of infection.   “I do not think the current situation is completely under control.”   For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.
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