Clock ticking in race to be in second wave of airlifts

A second batch of charter planes will be sent to Wuhan as early as next Tuesday to evacuate stranded Hongkongers, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip Tak-kuen said yesterday.

The flights will bring back those stiuck in the Hubei cities of Wuhan, Xiaogan, Hanning and Huangshi.

Around 700 Hongkongers in the four cities have sought help from the government, but the number of flights and returnees are yet to be confirmed.

"The number of flights and the days of operation very much depend on the final outcome of registration," Nip said, adding that Hongkongers in those cities should register with the Immigration Department before 6pm today.

Despite concerns over assembling at the outbreak's epicenter, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport remains the evacuation point.

"[Wuhan airport] is the most feasible and efficient as a base of operation, and the most appropriate in terms of managing risks," Nip said.

He added that a 79-year-old Hong Kong woman in Hubei was the latest to contract the virus, while a man among the 14 Hongkongers in Hubei confirmed with the disease has died. Ten have been discharged.

Of the rest, two are in stable condition and one is serious.

The first batch of charter flights brought 469 Hongkongers back two weeks ago, but 3,400 residents remain stranded across 37 cities in Hubei.