Hong Kong gets quarantine powers after mystery illness strikes dozens in Chinese city

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks during a news conference at the Office of the Chief Executive in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. Lam said the city faces multiple challenges in the new year, including “violence, economic tribulation and a health scare" as anti-government protests enter their eighth month. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks during a news conference at the Office of the Chief Executive in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. Lam said the city faces multiple challenges in the new year, including “violence, economic tribulation and a health scare" as anti-government protests enter their eighth month. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Published Jan 7, 2020

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Hong Kong - Hong Kong's health authority will be able to

quarantine patients suspected of contracting an unidentified illness

in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, in line with a law change

announced by Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Tuesday.

In a bid to control the spread of the mystery illness, Hong Kong is

already checking the temperatures of travellers returning from China

at airports, railway stations and ports.

People arriving with symptoms such as fever, cough or cold could now

be quarantined as a protective measure.

Lam's new preventive measures mean schools and workplaces must comply

with more intensive cleaning operations and share information with

government departments.

"Currently no serious pneumonia case related to Wuhan has been

detected in Hong Kong, but the cluster of viral pneumonia cases in

Wuhan can be regarded as a 'Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health

Significance,'" food and health secretary Sophia Chan said in a

statement.

The infection was first reported last week in Wuhan. As of Sunday, 59

people had been diagnosed. Seven patients were in critical condition,

according to the Wuhan Health Commission.

Hong Kong also reported 16 suspected cases of the mystery pneumonia

on Sunday, according to public broadcaster RTHK, although none of the

patients had reported visiting Wuhan city. 

The outbreak has triggered concerns of a resurgence of SARS - severe

acute respiratory syndrome - which killed more than 800 people

worldwide after it broke out in southern China in 2002.

Health authorities ruled out influenza, bird flu, Middle East

Respiratory Syndrome or SARS.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has begun monitoring the

outbreak.

dpa

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