HONG KONG — Secretary for Food and Health of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Sophia Chan said on May 17 that the Hong Kong SAR, Guangdong province and the Macao SAR are discussing mutual recognition of quarantine measures and virus testing of COVID-19.

Chan said Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have taken different epidemic-prevention measures and are closely discussing how to achieve mutual recognition of these measures. The public will be noticed once a specific plan and a timetable are in place, she added.

She said the HKSAR government has been expanding the testing of COVID-19, and carrying out contact tracing of the recently confirmed local cases.

Regarding the relaxation of epidemic-prevention measures, Chan said the HKSAR government will make decisions based on more information through measures including expanding virus testing.

The anti-epidemic measures will be carried out in a reasonable and balanced manner, Chan said, adding the restrictions would be eased in a phased manner to allow Hong Kong residents' livelihood and the economy to return to normal, and would be tightened again once there are rising risks.