Health official says virus temperature checks enough

Health officials in Hong Kong today reiterated that current surveillance measures implemented at the airport and other border points would be effective in protecting the city against a new virus that has emerged in the mainland city of Wuhan, RTHK reports.

This is despite calls from some experts for visitors to fill out mandatory health declaration forms and isolation areas at the airport and express railway station.

Three US airports that have flights from Wuhan have implemented steps to distribute health forms on that route.

The Under Secretary for Health, Chui Tak-yi, said temperature checks would be adequate for screening travelers. He said information collected from visitors might sometimes be inaccurate.

“The Department of Health considers that checking passengers’ temperature at border points is an objective way to see if they have fever,” he said.

Health Secretary Sophia Chan Siu-chee also had said last week that temperature checks are being conducted at airport and express rail station when asked about health declaration forms.

The number of people confirmed to have contracted the virus on the mainland has exceeded 200, with new cases emerging in Beijing and Shenzhen. Photo: Sing Tao.