Hong Kong, Jul 9 (IANS): The Hong Kong government is planning to once again restrict the number of diners to eight per table in the citys restaurants, as at least 16 more locally transmitted COVID-19 cases were detected among Thursdays total of 24, according to sources.

Health Minister Sophia Chan is expected to announce further details on restrictions for other establishments later in the day, reports the South China Morning Post (SCMP) newspaper.

The limit of eight people per table at city restaurants had been lifted on June 19.

A source said the new tally of preliminary positive local cases involved five from Kong Tai Care for the Aged Centre Limited in Tsz Wan Shan, taking the number of infections from that cluster to 14.

Another cluster, involving two restaurants and taxi drivers, also increased to 16 people, while two separate household clusters with three confirmed cases each.

According to the source, Hong Kong has recorded at least 47 local cases since Sunday.

The Post was told earlier on Thursday that a number of imported cases had also been recorded, but the number was not immediately clear.

Currently, Hong Kong's tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases stood at 1,323.