A national lockdown will be the last resort for the Ministry of Health to contain the virus.

The public are therefore urged to be honest and cooperate with the screening procedure.

Health teams will be going house-to-house to check individuals for COVID-like symptoms.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Dr James Fong says the public will be asked simple questions to determine their travel history in the area and they must be honest with the information.

He adds a national lockdown will be activated if the Ministry has exhausted all the medical alternatives.

“The results of the screening exercise will determine the need for a larger and more stringent lockdown. That is the measure of absolute last resort that will be taken only and if only the data we obtain provide us with no other medical recourse.”

Dr Fong says the seven new cases may serve as a shock to many, but they are evidence that the Ministry’s mobile and stationary screening exercises are actually working.

He says they will continue to rely on these methods for flushing cases from the community.