Hong Kong, Dec 25 (IANS): Hong Kong has imposed stricter quarantine measures for visitors from places outside China as the city's Covid-19 pandemic situation was still severed with 71 new cases reported in 24 hours.

Starting Friday, visitors who have been to places outside China over the past 21 days will be put in quarantine for 21 days, instead of the current 14 days, in designated hotels, Xinhua news agency quoted a city government statement as saying.

A government spokesperson said the new policy is adopted as the incubation period of the coronavirus in a small minority of patients could be longer than 14 days.

Besides, Hong Kong will also deny entry of visitors who have stayed in South Africa for more than two hours over the past 21 days to prevent the import of a new coronavirus strain.

The government imposed a similar policy on visitors from Britain earlier this week.

Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported 71 new confirmed cases on Thursday, taking its total tally to 8,424.

The new cases included 61 local infections, with 30 cases of unknown origin, according to a CHP press briefing.

Three out of 10 imported cases were from Britain, while there were also about 50 preliminary cases.

According to Hong Kong's Hospital Authority, 66 per cent of the negative pressure beds have been occupied so far.

Currently, 985 infected patients are being treated in public hospitals and the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo, and 61 are in critical condition.

The death toll stands at 135.