This takes the total number of confirmed cases here to 317.

Twenty-nine out of the 44 new cases had recently come back to Hong Kong from abroad, including nine students who had just returned to the SAR.

Several clusters of local infections continued to grow, with another two people who had attended a wedding party in Discovery Bay coming down with the illness – including the groom.

More infections were reported that were linked to previous cases involving teachers who'd led a student trip to Switzerland from the Mount Kelly School; a taxi driver who had driven people to and from the airport, as well as people who recently went to Lan Kwai Fong.

The Hospital Authority also said the father of a nurse who works at Yan Chai hospital has initially tested positive for the new coronavirus, and officials are following up on the case.

However, it says the nurse himself does not have any symptoms, and was working up until Saturday. Both had recently gone on a trip to Turkey.

Meanwhile, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection told a media briefing on Sunday that the government will be stepping up control measures as necessary, when asked whether the administration should consider more draconian steps like a mandatory closure of businesses like restaurants and pubs.

She also said the number of coronavirus tests ordered for people flying into Hong Kong will continue to rise, especially for those who are elderly and are more vulnerable to the virus, along with those who live in the same flat as elderly people.

She added that more people turning from places deemed higher risk like the United Kingdom will be given special marked containers, which they’re supposed to take home, before sending back a deep-throat saliva sample to be taken first thing the next morning.