Hongkong senior living in Wuhan dies

A 77-year-old Hongkonger who was living in Covid-19 epicenter Wuhan has died.

His death was caused by pneumonia and he was later confirmed to have contracted the virus.

Ten Hongkongers from three families were earlier said to have been infected with the virus in Hubei, with nine in hospitals and one discharged.

The fatality was reported yesterday as another 10 Hongkongers managed to leave Hubei province and return to the SAR through Shenzhen after securing passes to leave.

But close to 2,700 Hongkongers remain stranded in Hubei, with many sending pleas for help.

The Federation of Trade Unions has received requests for assistance from 607 families. Among them are 50 people saying it is urgent they return.

They include five women who say pregnancies make it vital they get home plus sufferers from chronic diseases.

Mainland authorities have loosened the quarantine policy in some Hubei cities for people who appear to be in good shape and able to travel.

The 10 Hongkongers who had been stranded in Jingzhou city secured transportation passes from the city's Epidemic Command Center to drive through provincial border checkpoints after temperature checks. They arrived in Hong Kong via Shenzhen Bay on Saturday and have gone into 14 days of self-quarantine, FTU community officer Leo Chan Man-well said.

Since Friday, the Jingzhou administration has allowed people to submit documents from companies showing a need to resume work to apply for a transportation pass.

"Only those who have access to private cars could make it since there is no public transportation available," Chan said.

"I understand some mainland citizens who had passes to resume work in Shenzhen offered to drive the Hongkongers there."

Chan said the five women who were from three to seven months' pregnant were running out of supplementary pills and formula in Jingzhou, Enshi and Huangshi cities.

And 180 Hongkongers have said they need to get back to work or they will be fired or will lack funds to support their families. Twenty-six cited a need to return for exams, court hearings or fulfill business contracts.

A single mother stranded in Yichang said her seven-year-old daughter had a sudden onset of epilepsy at midnight on February 8 and had to wait for hours before she was taken to a hospital.

Hong Kong resident Choi Wei-hin told The Standard that his wife and two daughters aged four and seven in Huanggang city were running out of food. "My daughters have been eating instant noodles for 10 days," said Choi, who is in Hong Kong.

A spokesman for the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said officials and health experts are discussing feasible ways to help stranded Hongkongers.

By yesterday morning there had been 1,400 requests of help involving 2,700 Hongkongers in Hubei. FTU lawmaker Michael Luk Chung-hung said the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau could charter a train to go through Hubei and pick up Hongkongers.

cindymt.wan@singtaonewscorp.com