The emergence of Covid-19 clusters putting 1,400 patrons at risk at two nightspots in Hong Kong’s core financial district has sparked calls from a government pandemic adviser for a halt to any further easing of social-distancing rules in bars and pubs.

The two separate outbreaks, which infected 26 bar-goers in total in Central over the weekend, coincided with a government announcement that it would tighten Covid-19 testing requirements for arrivals while easing its flight ban mechanism from June 1.

Hong Kong logged 237 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, including 37 imported cases. No new Covid-related deaths were recorded.