The massive surge in cases has ravaged the city's healthcare system and left it with one of the highest Covid-19 fatality rates in the developed world.

Hong Kong saw a net outflow of more than 71,000 people in February, the most since the beginning of the pandemic, according to government data, compared with 16,879 in December.

Hair salons and places of worship will be closed, while a vaccine pass will be rolled out barring the unvaccinated from shopping malls, supermarkets, wet markets and department stores.