Hong Kong, Dec 8 (IANS): Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Tuesday announced that in view of the worsening Covid-19 pandemic situation, social distancing measures will be further tightened, including the banning of dine-in services in restaurants after 6 p.m.

Addressing reporters, Lam said that the recent Covid-19 situation has been worrying, with 661 new cases reported over the past week, reports Xinhua news agency.

Patients in critical and serious conditions involved not only the elderly but also the younger people.

"The situation is more complicated than the last wave as infections scattered across Hong Kong and a number of clusters were involved," Lam said.

She added that the number of untraceable cases has been rising which indicated that there is a lot of silent transmission in the community.

The city government will adopt more stringent measures to reduce people flow in public places to contain the spread of the virus.

Dine-in services in restaurants will be banned after 6 p.m., and work from home arrangements among civil servants will be strengthened.

Fitness centres, beauty parlours, massage establishments will remain closed, according to Lam.

To prevent importation of cases, visitors who arrive in Hong Kong are subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine in designated hotels and they need to undergo another Covid-19 test five days after completing isolation, the Chief Executive said.

Hong Kong reported 78 new cases on Monday, taking its total tally to 6,975.

At least 1,122 infected patients are being treated in public hospitals and the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo, and a total of 36 patients are in critical condition.

The death toll stands at 122.