Hong Kong Declares Coronavirus Outbreak

Healthcare workers continue their strike demanding all borders closed

It was declared today that Hong Kong now has a community outbreak of the coronavirus by top microbiologist professor Yuen Kwok-yung of the University of Hong Kong.

The city now has 21 cases, eight of them are people who did not travel to China recently, which means a local outbreak has occurred and human-to-human transmission occurring. In the past two days, six people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, five of whom had not left Hong Kong recently.

Yuen Kwok-yung declared HK has community outbreak

Yuen warned that more needed to be done to minimize the spread of the virus, including shutting down borders, but up until now Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has refused to close the remaining borders that are still open.

"The local transmission chain has begun, and if we do nothing to control it, Hong Kong will become like some mainland city that has suffered lots of cases," Yuen warned.

Starting from Saturday, all travelers who have come from the mainland must quarantine themselves for 14 days, though the government has yet to clarify exactly how this will work. It is hoped that this will stop the spread of the virus in the city.

"Many people blamed me earlier for exaggerating [the situation] previously, but what I said was based on scientific facts, not personal feelings," Yuen said, referring to previous remarks about transmission.

"Once we have a bigger outbreak, even if you do not close the border, the city will be isolated [by others]. It would be too late then."

Is Carrie listening?

Hong Kong traders assured the public there is enough food!

Today my gweilo colleagues were wondering what all the fuss was about in scrambling for toilet paper. This evening I checked my neighbourhood supermarket and the shelves are still bare. People have become so paranoid and irrational that Hong Kong traders had to hold a press conference today to reassure the public there is enough toilet paper and food to keep us going.

"There is absolutely no need to panic buy. We have always worked to ensure a stable supply of food and all these years, throughout all sorts of big events, we have never had a shortage," said Thomas Ng Wing-yan, chairman of the Hong Kong Food Council.

When it comes to rice, Kenneth Chan Kin-nin, chairman of the Rice Merchants' Association of Hong Kong said there was plenty of rice in stock.

"The supply of rice is regulated by the government and we still have 13,000 tonnes in storage, which are yet to be used," he said. Ninety percent of the city's rice supply comes from Thailand and Vietnam, and the association is in close contact with the importers in the two countries.

Shelves are still bare where packs of toilet paper should be

The traders warned that the food supply would be cut off in truck drivers were subject to quarantine, as there weren't enough regular and back-up drivers to keep the shipments coming into Hong Kong. They agree with drivers having temperature checks and additional disinfection of truck wheels and containers.

So folks, no need to panic! Hong Kong has food! And eventually we will get toilet paper!