The government on Monday called for concerted efforts from the public to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) as the city reported six more cases and nine people under quarantine failed spot checks.
At a press briefing, Food and Health Secretary Sophia Chan Siu-chee called on the public to cut down on social activities and follow the authorities’ arrangements aimed at containing the epidemic.
Food and Health Secretary Sophia Chan Siu-chee called on the public to cut down on social activities and follow the authorities’ arrangements aimed at containing the epidemic
The city has recorded 42 cases of the NCP infection. The 37th confirmed case is a 55-year-old female who joined a family gathering of 19 people on Jan 26. So far 10 out of the 19 people have tested positive for the disease.
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The 38th infection case was a 69-year-old male patient suffering from a chronic disease. The man, who lives in Sai Wan Ho, had not left Hong Kong over the past two weeks. He is now in critical condition. The patient’s wife and his mother-in-law previously tested positive for the coronavirus.
The city has adopted a mandatory 14-day quarantine policy for all arrivals entering Hong Kong from the mainland on and after Saturday. Of the 1,193 people put under quarantine, nine failed to respond when the Hong Kong police checked their addresses or called their home phones, said Chan.
Deputy Secretary for Food and Health (Food) Daniel Cheng Chung-wai told a press conference that seven of them were located, with most explaining they had not heard knocks on the door or phones ringing while asleep; two had gone out to buy food and other supplies.
For the other two people who are currently out of contact, Chan said police will issue warrants for arrest and may prosecute them.
Chan urged all people who are required to be isolated to cooperate with these arrangements, adding that those who fail to respond to police checks again will be required to wear tracking wristbands and sent to designated isolated locations provided by the government.
Any people breaching these measures could face up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of HK$25,000 (US$3,200).
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The government has contacted 679 quarantined people by phone and police have made spot checks on 167 quarantined people, revealed Chan. As of Sunday, 516 quarantined people have shared their real-time locations with the authorities.
One male patient died in hospital on Feb 4. None of the other infected patients have been discharged from hospitals. A patient will be identified as cured if he or she tests negative for the novel coronavirus in two separate tests conducted 24 hours apart, according to Monday’s press conference.
