Sars Redux? Death Toll In China From Coronavirus Outbreak Mounts, Hong Kong Declares Highest Level of Emergency

Hong Kong has declared the the city’s highest level of emergency in response to Wuhan coronavirus outbreak and rolled out a series of measures to prevent further infection, South China Morning Post reported.

The death toll in China from the epidemic has risen to 41 with an official estimate of 1287 people infected with the virus. China also conformed the first death of a doctor working on the front line of the outbreak in Wuhan. China has deployed medical team from the army to Wuhan, the central city that is the epicentre of the outbreak, to help the local authorities and overcrowded hospitals to deal with the health emergency.

Hong Kong city’s chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor announced today (Jan 25) the cancellation of the city’s marathon, the extension of school holidays for a further two weeks beyond the lunar new year holiday. and the implementation of health declarations at all entry points to Hong Kong.

Five confirmed cases of the coronavirus infection had been identified in Hong Kong, along with 107 suspected cases. All patients had been to Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak in mainland China.

Ignoring calls by labour union representing medical staff who have threatened to strike if the government refused to close the border, Hong Kong authorities ruled out shutting the border with mainland China, with Lam saying it would be “inappropriate and impractical” to shutdown all ports linked to the mainland.