Meeting on Wuhan cases set

January 11, 2020

Secretary for Food & Health Professor Sophia Chan: We have some new information from our Mainland authorities this morning regarding the number of cases. As you can see from the information provided, the number of confirmed cases is now down to 41 given the novel corona virus confirmation. Secondly, according to the information, Wuhan authorities and the health departments are doing a lot of work currently in terms of trying to get more epidemiological information, public health surveillance as well as treating the cases in the hospital. Of note is that there are still some serious cases, but there are also some that have already been discharged from hospital. According to Mainland authorities, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and there are also no healthcare professionals infected. I think this is the information that we have collected so far. And also of note is after the closure of the concerned market in Wuhan, there are no new cases since January 3. I think this is important epidemiological information for us to use for further assessment. Also, I will be chairing a meeting later on after this interview. We are also trying to invite experts. I will be receiving reports from the Centre for Health Protection and also the Hospital Authority in terms of the latest assessment and whether there is any updated information. The Government has always been very active and proactive in terms of getting information. We have an existing mechanism of communication. Regarding this, the Government has always been proactive in trying to get information and having communication with Mainland authorities. In terms of getting the genome sequencing, we have already requested it and we are waiting for the reply from Mainland authorities. An important point to note is that according to our infection control experts, right now with our laboratory competence, we can also test given the information of the novel corona virus, but it takes a slightly longer time. If we can get the whole genome sequencing, obviously the time can be cut shorter. So, it is not something we can't do but we are, at the same time, trying to get information in terms of preparing and also controlling any public health infectious disease issues.

Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan today said she will chair a meeting and invite experts to discuss the latest developments of pneumonia cases detected in Wuhan.

Speaking to the media after a radio programme this morning, Prof Chan said the Food & Health Bureau received new information from Mainland authorities, noting that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and that no healthcare professionals have been infected.

There are no new cases since January 3, she added.

Prof Chan explained that Wuhan authorities and the health department are doing a lot of work in terms of obtaining more epidemiological information, public health surveillance as well as treating patients in the hospital.

She asserted the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has always been proactive in getting information from Mainland authorities through the existing mechanism of communication.

“In terms of getting the genome sequence, we have already requested it and we are waiting for the reply from Mainland authorities.

“An important point to note is that according to our infection control experts, right now with our laboratory competence, we can also test given the information of the novel corona virus, but it takes a slightly longer time.

“If we can get the whole genome sequence, obviously the time can be cut shorter.”

Prof Chan added that she will chair a meeting to discuss the situation later.

“We are also trying to invite experts. I will be receiving reports from the Centre for Health Protection and also the Hospital Authority in terms of the latest assessment and whether there is any updated information.”