Health authorities warns widespread of virus in the city

The Centre for Health Protection told a press briefing today that a patient might be infected by the novel coronavirus locally, warning that there might be widespread of the virus in the city.

The centre’s Communicable Disease Branch Head Chuang Shuk-kwan said that there is one more confirmed case of the novel coronavirus in Hong Kong, bringing the total to 13, while three of the patients are in serious condition.

Chuang said that among the 13 cases, one of the cases is worrying, as the centre could not rule out possibilities that the patient contracted the virus locally.

The male patient, 75, visited Shunde District of Guangdong province as well as Macau last month, while he stayed in Hong Kong for most of his time.

Living in Tsing Yi, the patient had two dinners with his family and relatives during the Lunar New Year, while none of them have travelling records to Hubei.

Chuang said that this is the only case at the moment, therefore it is unlikely it is a widespread phenomenon.

“If there’re more cases like this, it means there’re widespread transmissions of the virus in Hong Kong. We certainly don’t want this to happen,” Chuang said.

Meanwhile, leading microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung said today that the new virus is far more contagious than SARS 17 years ago, adding that the epidemic has yet to reach its peak.

Yuen also weighed in on a planned strike involving thousands of workers of the Hospital Authority, saying that their demand for a full border closure has its reason, but it would pose a great impact to the city.