The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (March 25) arranged the second batch of chartered flights to bring back Hong Kong residents stranded in Hubei Province to Hong Kong. The first two chartered flights successfully brought back 281 Hong Kong residents in Hubei Province.

     The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Patrick Nip, and the Director of Immigration, Mr Erick Tsang, led the Hong Kong team this morning to the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport to oversee the mission, and took the second chartered flight back to Hong Kong. Members of the Hong Kong team include 47 staff members from the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, the Immigration Department, the Department of Health (DH), the Information Services Department and the Hospital Authority.

     Taking the first two chartered flights to Hong Kong include 238 Hong Kong people stranded in Xiaogan, Xianning and Huangshi in Hubei Province, as well as 43 people in other cities of Hubei Province who have urgent needs to return to Hong Kong, such as people suffering from serious illnesses or  are in urgent need for medical treatments, children who are sick, and students sitting for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education examination. There were 13 people aged 60 or above, 74 aged 16 or below, and among them, 13 were children aged three or below, joining the flights today. Family members or relatives of four children joined the first chartered flight to Wuhan to accompany the children to return to Hong Kong.

     All Hong Kong residents taking the chartered flights back to Hong Kong have undergone health assessment by DH staff at an early stage to check whether they have developed symptoms such as fever. The Hubei Provincial Government also conducted verifications to ascertain that all who were allowed to board the flight were not confirmed cases or suspected cases of COVID-19, and were not close contacts of confirmed patients. Before boarding, the people concerned had undergone four temperature checks at various checkpoints to ensure that they were not having fever, or developing abnormal vital signs, respiratory tract symptoms and other signs of infectious disease.

     Upon the arrival of the chartered flights, DH staff briefed the returnees about the quarantine arrangements and checked their body temperature. They will undergo 14-day home quarantine in accordance with the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C).

     In view of the need for milk powder of some Hong Kong residents stranded in Hubei Province, the HKSAR Government carried 48 cans of milk powder donated by the International Social Service, Hong Kong Branch in this batch of chartered flights for delivery to the families in need. 

     Starting from February 7, the HKSAR Government has also started delivering medicine to Hong Kong people currently in Hubei who need regular prescribed medication. Fifteen batches of medicine has been despatched to Wuhan for further distribution to 248 Hong Kong people. The despatch of the sixteenth batch of medicine is underway.

     The HKSAR team will depart for Wuhan tomorrow morning to bring back another batch of some 280 people to Hong Kong.

                      

     The Department of Health will set up a temporary specimen collection centre at the AsiaWorld-Expo tomorrow (March 26) to speed up the collection of specimen from inbound travellers from overseas for conducting testing for COVID-19 and facilitate those who have difficulty in arranging family members or friends to submit their specimen.
 
     Starting at midnight today (March 25), the CHP has extended its Enhanced Laboratory Surveillance Programme to provide free testing for COVID-19 to asymptomatic inbound travellers arriving from the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe. With its smooth operation, the programme has further been extended to cover asymptomatic inbound travellers arriving from the United States this afternoon.
 
     The DH's temporary specimen collection centre will operate from 7.30am to 11pm daily. Inbound travellers will be provided with a specimen collection container at the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). Starting tomorrow, they can choose to take shuttle bus from the HKIA immediately to the temporary specimen collection centre to collect their deep throat saliva sample there in accordance with the instructions and submit it to the DH personnel on duty at the venue. Afterwards, they have to go to their accommodation for the compulsory quarantine as soon as possible by their own means. Otherwise, they should collect their deep throat saliva sample by themselves at home on a designated date, and ask their family members or friends deliver it to any of the collection points in the same morning.
 
     Samples can be sent to 13 designated chest clinics or dermatological clinics under the DH from 9am to 11am on Monday to Sunday and some General Out-patient clinics under the Hospital Authority from 8.30am to 9.30am on Monday to Friday (except public holiday).
 
     If a sample tests positive, the CHP will notify the person concerned as early as possible and arrange for admission to a public hospital for treatment. In general, if no notification is received within three working days after returning a sample, it means the test result is negative and the person concerned is required to continue the quarantine until the quarantine period ends.
     
     A spokesman for the DH urged inbound travellers who choose to collect their deep throat saliva sample by themselves at home to collect and arrange to hand in their sample as early as possible so that relevant virus testing can be arranged by the CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch as soon as possible. This will help identify asymptomatic patients and minimise the risk of community transmission.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     From March 20 to 9pm today (March 25), 370 and 87 travellers have been referred to the test centres at the AsiaWorld-Expo and North Lantau Hospital respectively for COVID-19 viral test. So far, 397 travellers have negative test results for COVID-19 and have returned to their residence to continue the 14-day home quarantine.
 
     Preliminary positive test results will be further confirmed by the Department of Health and announced as confirmed cases in due course.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 4pm today (March 25), the CHP is investigating 24 additional confirmed cases of COVID-19, taking the number of cases to 411 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 410 confirmed cases and one probable case).
 
     The newly reported cases announced today involve 13 males and 11 females aged between 11 and 57. Among them, 19 had travel history during the incubation period. The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex.
 
     For information on flights that patients of the confirmed cases have taken, please refer to the following webpage: (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/flights_trains_en.pdf). Passengers who travelled on the same flights and sat within two seats surrounding those patients are urged to call the CHP hotlines 2125 1111 and 2125 1122.
 
        The CHP reminded those who have returned to Hong Kong from overseas or visited overseas before the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap. 599E) took effect on March 19 that, although they are not subject to the 14-day compulsory quarantine, they should stay home and avoid going out as far as possible for 14 days. They should wear surgical mask, maintain stringent personal hygiene as a measure to protect themselves and their family members. They should seek medical advice as soon as possible if symptoms develop to safeguard the health of themselves, family and friends as well as the general public.
 
     The CHP again urged members of the public to maintain an appropriate social distance with other people as far as possible in their daily lives. In particular, they should go out less and avoid social activities such as meal gatherings or other gatherings to reduce the chance of contacting infected persons, who may not present any symptoms, and minimise the risk of outbreak clusters emerging in the community.
 
    A spokesman for the CHP said, "In view of proliferation of the disease and continuous increase in the number of cases reported around the world, members of the public are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong."
 
     "The CHP also strongly urges the public to maintain at all times strict personal and environmental hygiene, which is key to personal protection against infection and prevention of the spread of the disease in the community. On a personal level, members of the public should wear a surgical mask when having respiratory symptoms, taking public transport or staying in crowded places. They should also perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes."
 
     "As for household environmental hygiene, members of the public are advised to maintain drainage pipes properly, and regularly pour water into drain outlets (U-traps); cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use; after using the toilet, they should put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs."
 
     The CHP will report the cases to the World Health Organization, National Health Commission, Health Commission of Guangdong Province, relevant health authorities and the Hospital Authority.
 
     The CHP has set up the hotlines (2125 1111 and 2125 1122), which operate from 8am to midnight daily, for public enquiries. As at 4pm today, a total of 54 546 calls were received.
 
     Moreover, the Government has launched the website "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) for announcing the latest updates on various news on the COVID-19 infection and health advice to help the public understand the latest updates.
 
     To prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infection, members of the public should always maintain good personal and environmental hygiene. They are advised to:
 
• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
• Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, after touching public installations such as handrails or door knobs, or when hands are contaminated by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing;
• Maintain drainage pipes properly and regularly (about once a week) pour about half a liter of water into each drain outlet (U-traps) to ensure environmental hygiene;
• Cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use;
• After using the toilet, put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rub for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse with water and dry with a disposable paper towel. If hand washing facilities are not available, or when hands are not visibly soiled, performing hand hygiene with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub is an effective alternative;
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissues into a lidded rubbish bin, then wash hands thoroughly; and
• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending class at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly.

     Hongkong Post announced today (March 25) an updated list including new destinations with airmail and/or Speedpost services suspended as a result of the reduction or cancellation of flights by airlines.
 

 
     Another updated list is appended below to include new destinations with postal services to these destinations suspended or subject to delay as a result of local postal operation.
 

 
     Due to the substantial reduction in flight frequencies, airmail to a large number of destinations may be subject to considerable delays of more than two weeks in handing posted items to airlines subsequent to Hongkong Post's completion of the handling procedures after posting.
 
     Members of the public are advised to visit the Hongkong Post website at https://www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about_us/whats_new/notices/index_id_893.html and https://www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about_us/whats_new/notices/index_id_894.html to refer to all destinations and their respective services affected.