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Coronavirus pandemic
Hong KongHealth & Environment

Hong Kong needs permanent quarantine facilities to cope with future disease outbreaks: health chief

  • Food and health secretary Sophia Chan tells lawmakers the city’s long-term quarantine needs will be assessed once the Covid-19 outbreak subsides
  • Of the city’s 1,033 confirmed infections, more than 600 have been officially classified as imported cases

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Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee. Photo: Winson Wong
Elizabeth CheungandChris Lau
Permanent quarantine facilities could be set up to cope with future infectious disease outbreaks, Hong Kong’s health chief said on Wednesday, as the city’s four new coronavirus infections were all confirmed as imported.
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A medical expert has also called on the government to step up measures to contain Covid-19 transmissions from overseas returnees, with more than 600 of the city’s latest tally of 1,033 cases classified as originating abroad.

The statement from Secretary for Food and Health Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee came as all those arriving into the city by air from Wednesday are now required to stay at specific locations – either a testing centre near the airport or a hotel in Kowloon City – to wait for coronavirus test results.

Dr Leung Chi-chiu (right), chairman of the Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases under the Medical Association, speaks to reporter Elizabeth Cheung during a webinar organised by the South China Morning Post. Photo: SCMP
Dr Leung Chi-chiu (right), chairman of the Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases under the Medical Association, speaks to reporter Elizabeth Cheung during a webinar organised by the South China Morning Post. Photo: SCMP

“In the long run, we believe there is a need to set up in Hong Kong permanent quarantine facilities to cope with outbreaks that may occur in the future,” Chan wrote to lawmakers.

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“After the Covid-19 outbreak has subsided, we will assess the situation in a holistic manner and consider Hong Kong’s long-term quarantine needs for making preparations.”

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