People wearing face masks following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak walk at a shopping mall in Hong Kong, July 20, 2020. (Photo: Agencies)

HONG KONG - China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Monday announced further tightening of anti-epidemic measures, including prohibition of dining-in services in restaurants and mandatory mask-wearing in all public places, which will come into effect on Wednesday.

The decision came after seeing a surge in the number of COVID-19 infections in Hong Kong recently, with the daily additional cases surpassed 100 for five consecutive days, Matthew Cheung, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR government, said at a press conference on Monday.

Furthermore, the group gathering limit will be lowered from four to two people and fitness rooms and game centers, sports venues and swimming pools will be closed.

The new measures will last until Aug 4, Cheung said, urging employers in Hong Kong to allow employees to work from home during this critical time of the epidemic to reduce the flow of people in public areas.