HONG KONG, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong on Saturday raised the government response to the new coronavirus pneumonia to the highest level with a series of measures from indefinitely suspending trains and flights to and from Wuhan to schools remaining closed for a longer period.
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam announced the decision to raise the response level at a press conference on Saturday afternoon, in the latest effort to control the spread of the new virus.
The government response was lifted to the emergency level, the highest in its three-tier system, after the serious level was activated three weeks ago.
A string of new measures were announced at the press conference.
High-speed trains and flights between Hong Kong and Wuhan will be suspended indefinitely, and the health declaration system on inbound travelers will be expanded to all ports of entry.
Several large-scale public events were called off, including Standard Chartered-sponsored Hong Kong Marathon, Lunar New Year Lantern Carnivals, and the Spring Reception of the HKSAR government. Lam also called on other non-government organizers to follow suit.
Primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, and special schools that were expected to resume class at the beginning of February will not reopen until Feb. 17, according to preliminary plans, with further assessment still needed.
With respiratory samples of three travelers from Wuhan tested positive, the total number of patients infected with the novel coronavirus in Hong Kong rose to five. All the five were under isolation in hospital.
As of Friday noon, the Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health has received reports of 239 suspected cases and five confirmed cases since Dec. 31, 2019, with 122 cases discharged already after being ruled out as novel coronavirus infection. From Friday noon to Saturday morning, another 62 suspected cases were reported.
