It can take six months for Hong Kong to overcome the economic effects of the new coronavirus pandemic, said the country’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po. He added that the government would offer “comprehensive” assistance to protect businesses and jobs in all industries, as the virus would affect every part of the economy.

The retail and tourism sectors were initially among the hardest hit, but now the effects have spread to “almost all industries”, Paul Chan Mo-po wrote in a blog post on Sunday. He urged landlords and large entrepreneurs to take on more “social responsibility” by responding to public demands for rent reductions, which are a major expense for many companies.

Individuals and businesses need to take the necessary steps to ensure that they can withstand the next six months, said Paul Chan Mo-po.

The Finance Secretary did not provide further details on the next round of government assistance measures. He said that the US and European partners of Hong Kong companies are canceling orders or falling behind on payments and damaging businesses in the city.

He added that the government would look for ways to ease the pressure on companies burdened with payroll while their sources of revenue are at risk.

In a separate statement Sunday, Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung wrote in a blog post that the government is working to free up more quarantine space as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase.

The Health Center reported another 28 cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the total to 890 in Hong Kong. The deaths are 4.