Help for Japan cruise passengers

February 14, 2020

Secretary for Security John Lee: Regarding the Hong Kong people who are being kept on the Diamond Princess, of course we are very concerned and we care for their well-being. That is why we have sent four immigration officers to Japan to work with our economic and trade office there together with people from the Chinese embassy to give them the best support and assistance that we can offer. We have already indicated to Japanese authorities whether they can consider allowing them to do the quarantine on land and also whether the Hong Kong people can be tested as soon as possible. The immigration officers together with the officers from the economic and trade office in Japan and also the Chinese embassy’s officials have been keeping in contact with the Hong Kong people. We are offering what we can do so as to satisfy their needs. A lot of them are asking for assistance in getting the medicine they need. Already, immigration officers have provided about 50 Hong Kong people with the medicine they need. And also there are about 17 to 18 people who have received the required medicine through the cruise. We also learnt that Japanese authorities will be conducting tests by selecting people, as the first batch, who are over 70 years old together with symptoms such as fever. Those who test positive will be sent to hospital for treatment. Those who test negative, they will be given a choice to either do the quarantine onboard the ship or on land. We understand that there is one Hong Kong lady over 80 who will be in the first batch of testing. The Security Bureau has already set up a working group to look at how we can arrange for these people to come back to Hong Kong as soon as possible. Officials of this working group include officers from the Security Bureau, Immigration Department, the Food & Health Bureau, Health Department and various government departments which are experienced in arranging transportation and offering assistance. What we are doing is liaising closely with Japanese authorities so as to get first-hand information as quickly as possible. Some questions we want to get answers from Japanese authorities include how soon will these Hong Kong people be allowed to disembark, how soon they will be allowed to leave Japan for Hong Kong, whether they will be allowed to disembark in groups, how big each group will be, how many days it may take. These are the things that we want to get the information on from Japanese authorities as soon as possible, so that the working group can look at all these things to work out how we can as soon as possible arrange for the Hong Kong people to come back. We will also look at how we will deal with them when they are returned.

(To watch the video with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Secretary for Security John Lee today said the Government has sent four immigration officers to help Hong Kong residents quarantined for the novel coronavirus on a cruise ship in Japan and to liaise with authorities there.

During a press conference with the Chief Executive and other principal officials, Mr Lee said the immigration officers together with officers from the economic and trade office in Japan and Chinese embassy officials have been keeping in contact with the Hong Kong citizens.

He added that the Hong Kong SAR Government had indicated to Japanese authorities to consider allowing the Hong Kong residents to be quarantined on land and for them to be tested for the virus as soon as possible.

“We learnt that Japanese authorities will be conducting tests by selecting people, as the first batch, who are over 70 years old together with symptoms such as fever.

“Those who test positive will be sent to hospital for treatment. Those who test negative, they will be given a choice to either do the quarantine onboard the ship or on land. We understand that there is one Hong Kong lady over 80 who will be in the first batch of testing.”

Mr Lee also noted that the Security Bureau has set up a working group to look at how the Hong Kong passengers can return home as soon as possible.

Officials in the working group include officers from the Security Bureau, Immigration Department, the Food & Health Bureau, Health Department and various government departments which are experienced in arranging transport and offering assistance.

“What we are doing is liaising closely with Japanese authorities so as to get first-hand information as quickly as possible.

“Some questions we want to get answers from Japanese authorities include how soon will these Hong Kong people be allowed to disembark, how soon they will be allowed to leave Japan for Hong Kong, whether they will be allowed to disembark in groups, how big each group will be, how many days it may take.”

Mr Lee added the immigration officers have provided around 50 Hong Kong people on board with the medicine they need, while about 17 or 18 people have received the required medicine through the cruise.