Hong Kong to reduce transport services with mainland to contain spread of novel coronavirus

Hong Kong will significantly reduce transport services with the mainland to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.

Flights from the mainland to Hong Kong will be halved, and the high-speed railway service will be suspended, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Tuesday afternoon at a press conference.

Multiple ferry routes will be suspended and the number of cross-border buses will be reduced. Starting from Thursday, several ports of entry will stop operation, including passenger services at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, Hung Hom Station, Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To.

Lam also said the central authorities have approved the suspension of issuing new endorsements in 49 mainland cities under the Individual Visit Scheme. The number of visitors under the scheme accounted for about half of mainland visitors entering Hong Kong.

There have been eight confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus reported in Hong Kong.

Before the new measures were announced on Tuesday, Hong Kong had already rolled out a string of policies to contain the spread of the virus, including raising the government response to the highest level, suspending trains and flights to and from Wuhan, and asking schools to remain closed for a longer period.

A HKSAR government spokesman said Tuesday that government employees can work at home after the four-day holiday of the Lunar New Year, except for those providing emergency services and essential public services, and appealed to private sector organizations to make similar arrangements.

The measure will be implemented tentatively until Feb. 2, he said, adding that the government will review the situation before that.

The new virus was first detected in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. Chinese health authorities announced on Tuesday that 4,515 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus had been reported in 30 provincial-level regions by the end of Monday.

China is mobilizing a nationwide response to prevent and control the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Many unprecedented moves, including extending the Spring Festival holiday, postponing the spring semesters of schools and universities, and adopting transport restrictions in various areas, have been taken.

Nearly 6,000 medical workers from across the country are being sent to Hubei Province in the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak, a health official said Tuesday.