Hong Kong continues to set new records for daily covid cases, hitting 1325 on Friday and getting further beyond the point where the outbreak can be contained.
Worse yet, a four-year old boy died at home early Friday with a fever and later tested positive for covid. That could add pressure for officials to add to economic curbs. Mainland China has also said there is no alternative to its covid-zero policies.
At the same time, public pressure is mounting towards moving to a policy of living with covid.
The dynamic will open up a schism with the mainland, hurting movement, trade and relations.
On Friday, China reported 101 new cases with 33 of those in the locked-down city of Baise, which is near the Vietnam border. Another outbreak appears to be underway in Liaoning province, which borders North Korea.
