The Hospital Authority says public hospitals, as of noon today and over the past 24 hours, admitted eight people who have been to Wuhan in the past 14 days.

The patients presented symptoms of fever, respiratory infection or pneumonia.

The authority said the patients - one male and seven females aged between three and 61 - are in stable condition and being treated in isolation at Caritas Medical Centre, Princess Margaret, Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth, Ruttonjee and Tuen Mun hospitals.

The authority has sent specimens to the Department of Health for testing and will keep monitoring the patients’ conditions.

Public hospitals have reported 38 such cases to the department since December 31. Twenty-one of these patients have been discharged.