The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Yellow fire danger warning

     The fire danger situation today (February 2) is yellow and the risk of fire is high. People are urged to prevent fires breaking out and hikers should also be vigilant.

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced the provision of limited public services from February 3 to 9 as follows:
 

 
     The abovementioned offices will provide services during normal opening hours. For detailed opening hours of individual offices, please refer to ImmD's official website or mobile application. Meanwhile, other ImmD offices, including all Smart Identity Card Replacement Centres, and other public services will be temporarily closed and suspended.
 
For immigration control points, except for the arrangement made by Government’s separate announcement, will maintain normal operations. And the 1868 hotline will continue to operate as normal to provide practicable assistance for Hong Kong residents in distress outside Hong Kong.
      
     The measures will be implemented tentatively until February 9 and will be reviewed according to the situation. Detailed arrangements will be announced in due course. Those who have made an appointment for immigration services may proceed to respective offices afterwards for relevant applications without the need of making a new appointment.
 
For enquiries, please contact the ImmD by calling the enquiry hotline at 2824 6111 or by email to enquiry@immd.gov.hk.

     In response to media enquiries on the plan of some healthcare workers to go on strike, a Government spokesman said the following today (February 2):

     Various sectors in Hong Kong have been working hard to tackle the novel coronavirus infection in the past month. Healthcare workers have been dedicated and standing fast at their posts at the forefront. The Government would like to thank and pay tribute to them.

     The Government understands that healthcare workers have been facing extreme pressure recently and some of them are worried that cross-boundary transmission of the virus would overload the public healthcare system. The Government agreed with the need to tighten management of the control points and reduce the flow of people across the boundary, and it has spared no efforts to implement relevant measures to reduce the flow of people, resulting in the remarkable drop in the number of arrivals of Hong Kong residents, Mainland residents and foreign visitors at various control points. The Government is examining the infection continuously and will explore further tightening of the management of control points.

     Meanwhile, to ensure the needs of the healthcare workers are addressed when supply of equipment such as surgical masks remains tight, the Government is taking the needs of healthcare workers as prime consideration. The Hospital Authority (HA) has also amended its fee-charging policy against Ineligible Persons. 

     At this critical moment in disease prevention and control, the Government appeals to those healthcare workers planning to go on strike to reconsider their decision, continue to safeguard Hong Kong with their professionalism and together win the battle against the disease.

     The Government noted that the management of the HA will meet with its staff members later today to listen to their concerns and discuss solutions. The Chief Executive will also convene a meeting of the Steering Committee cum Command Centre later today to study ways to prevent and control the disease.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 1) investigating one additional case of novel coronavirus infection. The public is again urged to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.
 
     The patient is a 80-year-old man who lives in Luk Kwai House, Kwai Chung Estate, New Territories with good past health. He presented with cough since January 19 and started having fever since January 30. He sought medical attention at the Accident and Emergency Department at Caritas Medical Centre on January 30 and was admitted for isolation and management. He had been transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital for further management. He is in a stable condition. The case was detected through the "Enhanced Laboratory Surveillance" scheme.The patient’s respiratory sample was tested positive for novel coronavirus.
 
     The CHP has immediately commenced epidemiological investigations and conducted relevant contact tracing. According to the patient's information, he went to the Mainland for a few hours through Lo Wu border control point on January 10. He took a flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo, Japan on January 17 and board a cruise at Yokohama on January 20. The cruise arrived Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong on January 25.
 
     Investigations revealed that he neither visited any health care facilities, wet market or seafood market, nor had any exposure to wild animals during the incubation period. He lived with his wife, and he travelled to Japan with his two daughters. Investigations are ongoing.
 
     Besides, the CHP today received notification from the National Health Commission (NHC) of a confirmed case in Jiangxi Province. The patient took the train T148 from Wuhan, Hubei Province to Pingxiang, Jiangxi Province on January 21. According to the notification, two Hong Kong residents were reportedly on the same train.  The CHP has contacted the two persons and would put them under medical surveillance.
 
     The CHP will report the case to the World Health Organization (WHO), NHC Health Commission of Guangdong Province, Health Bureau of Macao and the health authority of Japan.
 
     Besides, following the WHO’s declaration of novel coronavirus infection as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the DH has implemented further port health measures. Starting from 8pm tonight, travellers departing and on transit from the Hong Kong International Airport are required to undergo temperature checks. The health declaration arrangements have also been expanded to Lo Wu Control Point and Shenzhen Bay Control Point today. The arrangements will progressively be implemented at other boundary control points.
 
     The DH also gives additional health advice to Hong Kong residents as follows:
 
• Members of the public returning to Hong Kong from the Mainland should stay home as far as possible if circumstances allow. Those who need to go out should wear a surgical mask for 14 days after returning to Hong Kong;
• Hong Kong residents who have visited Hubei Province in the past 14 days should wear a surgical mask immediately and approach staff of the DH's Port Health Division upon arrival. They will be quarantined for observation after a health assessment.
• Hong Kong residents who had been to Hubei Province in the past 14 days but have already returned to Hong Kong should wear a surgical mask immediately and contact the DH for arrangement to be quarantined for observation.
 
     So far, 14 confirmed cases are reported in Hong Kong. The CHP is continuing its epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing. The CHP is also closely monitoring a number of overseas cases and conducting related contact tracing.
  
     Quarantine will be arranged for close contacts while medical surveillance will be arranged for other contacts. For the progress on the contact tracing of the cases, please see annex.
 
     The CHP has set up a hotline (2125 1122) for the cases, which operates from 8am to 9pm daily to answer public enquiries. As at 4pm yesterday, a total of 2400 calls were received.
 
     A dedicated webpage (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/102465.html) has been set up by the CHP to provide relevant information and health advice on Severe Respiratory Disease associated with a Novel Infectious Agent. Information of the latest notifications received from the Mainland and overseas will be updated to the CHP website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/statistics_of_the_cases_novel_coronavirus_infection_en.pdf) daily at 9am and 6pm to help the public grasp information on the affected countries/areas.
 
     A spokesman for the CHP said, "The CHP will continue to maintain its liaison with the NHC, WHO and the relevant health authorities, and closely monitor the situation for risk assessment."
 
     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;
• 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.
 
     The public should take heed of the health advice below when travelling outside Hong Kong:
 
• Do not travel to Hubei Province where community transmission of novel coronavirus is occurring;
• Avoid close contact with persons with fever or respiratory symptoms in countries/areas with possible community transmission of novel coronavirus infection. If it is unavoidable to come into contact with them, put on a surgical mask and continue to do so until 14 days after returning to Hong Kong;
• Avoid visiting hospitals. If it is necessary to visit a hospital, put on a surgical mask and observe strict personal and hand hygiene;
• Avoid touching animals (including game), poultry/birds or their droppings;
• Avoid visiting wet markets, live poultry markets or farms;
• Avoid making close contact with patients, especially those with symptoms of acute respiratory infections;
• Do not consume game meat and do not patronise food premises where game meat is served;
• Adhere to food safety and hygiene rules such as avoiding consuming raw or undercooked animal products, including milk, eggs and meat, or foods which may be contaminated by animal secretions, excretions (such as urine) or contaminated products, unless they have been properly cooked, washed or peeled;
• If feeling unwell when outside Hong Kong, especially if experiencing a fever or cough, wear a surgical mask, inform the hotel staff or tour escort and seek medical advice at once; and
• After returning to Hong Kong, consult a doctor promptly if experiencing a fever or other symptoms, take the initiative to inform the doctor of any recent travel history and any exposure to animals, and wear a surgical mask to help prevent spread of the disease.
 
     Hong Kong residents returning from the Mainland should take note of the following health advice:

• Members of the public returning to Hong Kong from the Mainland should stay home as far as possible if circumstances allow. Those who need to go out should wear a surgical mask for 14 days after returning to Hong Kong;
• Hong Kong residents who have visited Hubei Province in the past 14 days should wear a surgical mask immediately and approach staff of the DH's Port Health Division upon arrival. They will be quarantined for observation after a health assessment.
• Hong Kong residents who had been to Hubei Province in the past 14 days but have already returned to Hong Kong should wear a surgical mask immediately and contact the DH for arrangement to be quarantined for observation.