Hong Kong is set to impose a temporary lockdown on residents in coronavirus hotspots as new cases of Covid-19 have been reported.

In a statement released early Saturday, the Hong Kong government made a “restriction-testing declaration”, which requires residents from parts of Jordan (Kowloon peninsula) to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing arranged by the government. 

 Hong Kong recorded 61 new Covid-19 on Friday, including 55 local transmissions. 

The lockdown area includes Temple Street, home to the iconic night market popular with tourists. The compulsory testing which is expected to take 48 hours would require residents to remain in their buildings the government announced.

Hong Kong’s Secretary for the Environment, Wong Kam-sin, said in a news conference on Saturday that water from the pipes of several buildings in the area was being tested to ascertain whether the coronavirus is spreading through sewage. 

In a separate statement Saturday, the Hong Kong government announced that roads in the “restricted area” would be closed to traffic.