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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

194 cases found in restricted areas

The Government today announced that 194 preliminary positive COVID-19 cases were found in the compulsory testing exercises for the restricted areas in Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Tong and Tin Shui Wai.   It made restriction-testing declarations yesterday for Chui King House of Choi Hung Estate and Kwai Tung House of Tung Tau (II) Estate in Wong Tai Sin. A total of 1,114 and 1,063 people were tested in the two housing blocks and 43 and 48 preliminary positive cases were identified.   At Tsui Mui House of Tsui Ping (North) Estate in Kwun Tong, 927 people were tested and 65 preliminary positive cases were detected.   For Yau Ning House of Tin Yau Court in Tin Shui Wai where 1,260 people underwent testing, 38 preliminarily tested positive for the virus.   There were also 37 indeterminate cases in the restricted areas, the Government added.   The Centre for Health Protection will follow up on the cases.
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