Press Releases

SFH on overseas cases of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus

Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after attending a public function this afternoon (November 25):

Secretary for Food and Health: Regarding the new novel coronavirus causing severe respiratory disease, there is a concern that over a span of two months, another batch of four new cases (three from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and one from Qatar) was confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO also pointed out that we cannot assume the source of infection is only present in the countries concerned. Patients who have not got a history of travel to these two particular middle-east countries but developed symptoms of illness similar to the diseases caused by this new novel coronavirus, they might still be considered necessary to undertake the test for the new coronavirus.

Reporter: (On emergency level in Hong Kong for an outbreak of the new disease)

Secretary for Food and Health: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is consistently conducting risk assessment, following up on whether there will be any new information or new cases reported. Up to this moment, there is no need to upgrade our response level for the infectious disease outbreak. However, the new reported cases (due to infection with the novel coronavirus) highlighted the need to enhance our surveillance measures, both at the hospitals as well as at the immigration check points.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)


Ends/Sunday, November 25, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:23

NNNN