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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

20 COVID-19 cases detected

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)   The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) today said it is investigating 20 additional COVID-19 cases, of which 19 are locally transmitted.   Among the local cases, six have unknown sources of infection.   The centre's Communicable Disease Branch Head Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan told a press briefing this afternoon that four of the new cases are related to Caritas Lok Yi School in Sai Wan Ho while another two workers have also tested preliminary positive.   "For the special needs school, Caritas Lok Yi School, so far there is one student and one worker confirmed with COVID-19 plus two preliminary positive workers related to this school. I also mentioned that two family members of one student are also confirmed.   "Because the students have special needs it is difficult for them to put a mask on all the time or even some of the time. So if any of them get infected, it is easy for them to infect others, especially in a residential setting where they have a lot of care assistance to the students."   Of the unlinked cases, one involves a minibus driver who had worked during the infectious period.   Dr Chuang pointed out that passengers who had taken the minibus, which runs on the Tsuen Wan to Kwun Tong route via Castle Peak Road, will not be classified as close contacts.   "I understand that usually the driver and passengers' usual contact is when handling money. This is a red minibus, so it is possible there's some money handling when you get off the bus.   "If the public is worried or they rode on this bus route, maybe they have to observe their symptoms and if they are worried, go and get tested.   The CHP also reported that there are more than 10 preliminary positive cases.   One of them involves an IT worker at a property company in Sham Shui Po, where a confirmed COVID-19 case had been detected earlier. About 100 staff are required to undergo quarantine.   Dr Chuang said: "For the Sham Shui Po preliminary positive case, the patient works at a property company where there was an earlier confirmed case and both colleagues work in the IT department.   "So, as there are two cases in the company, we have to put all the workers - even if they wear masks during work - under quarantine because we noted that there may be some transmission in the company."   For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Government's dedicated webpage.
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