Restrictions on cross-border truck drivers entering Shenzhen from Hong Kong have tightened as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region saw major spikes recently.

According to a notice released by the Shenzhen Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters on Wednesday, starting from 10 a.m. Thursday, cross-border truck drivers, who are exempted from collective medical observation upon arrival in Shenzhen from Hong Kong via any Shenzhen-Hong Kong checkpoint, must present a negative result of a nucleic acid test issued within 72 hours by a qualified testing institution recognized by the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments and should return to Hong Kong on the same day of arrival except in case of necessity.

Hong Kong confirmed 113 COVID-19 cases Wednesday, the most in a single day, including 105 locally transmitted and eight overseas transmitted cases. In total, it has reported 2,132 confirmed cases.