Hubei returnees’ quarantine modified

March 26, 2020

Under Secretary for Food & Health Dr Chui Tak-yi:

Starting from early March, we noticed that the number of new cases in Mainland China has dropped significantly to maybe double digits per day in the early weeks of March till now. So it has been about three weeks from early March now in which the Mainland only reported new confirmed cases in double digits per day. 

On the other hand, since the announcement of the pandemic situation by the World Health Organization on March 11, we have been looking at the situation overseas. The number of new cases in many places in other parts of the world has risen very steeply. The new cases per day may be hundreds, thousands and many thousands, and the trend is increasing. So definitely from this trend, you can conclude that the relative risk of people coming from the Mainland versus those coming from overseas is different. It’s certainly higher in say, March for people coming back from overseas places. So this is one background. 

The other background is on testing the 400-odd returnees from Wuhan and also cities outside Wuhan and Hubei in early March - there’s only one confirmed case so far out of the 460-odd people returning from Wuhan and Hubei. So that is also one figure worth noting and that may tell us the level of risk as a reference. 

So in the preparation of this second exercise of bringing back people from Hubei, local public health authorities have evaluated the situation, in particular the relative risk of infection comparing the Mainland and overseas countries. So it’s a conclusion that perhaps in March, especially in the recent one or two weeks, the risk of Mainland returnees is definitely lower than that of people coming back from overseas. 

So we have modified the quarantine measures for the second batch of people returning from Hubei. In the context that the second batch of returnees is from cities outside Wuhan within Hubei Province, we made the decision that this second batch of returnees from Hubei would require home quarantine. Of course, before they left their dwelling places, before they entered the airport and before they boarded the plane and after they landed, there are several check-in points to check their temperature, health status etc to make sure that they are well enough to board the plane back to Hong Kong. Of course, after they landed in Hong Kong we also have the routine health check, for example temperature check and broad health check to make sure they are asymptomatic and then if they have any symptoms, with the proper assessment of course, they will be referred to the hospital for further diagnosis. If they are asymptomatic, the current arrangement is home quarantine.

(To watch the whole media briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government has modified the quarantine measures for the second batch of people returning from Hubei and will place them under home quarantine.

Under Secretary for Food & Health Dr Chui Tak-yi explained the background to the decision at today's press briefing on the latest COVID-19 situation, noting that the infection risk of Mainland returnees was lower than that of people coming back from overseas.

“So we have modified the quarantine measures of the second batch of people returning from Hubei. In the context that the second batch of returnees is from cities outside Wuhan within Hubei Province, we made the decision that this second batch of returnees from Hubei would require home quarantine.”

Dr Chui said the Government, in considering the infection risk, had looked at the figures reported publicly - both on the Mainland and overseas - and noticed that from early this month until now, the number of new cases on the Mainland had dropped significantly to double digits per day, compared to a steep rise overseas.

“The number of new cases in many places in other parts of the world has risen very steeply. The new cases per day may be hundreds, thousands and many thousands, and the trend is increasing.

“Definitely from this trend, you can conclude that the relative risk of people coming from the Mainland versus those coming from overseas is different. It is certainly higher in say, March for people coming back from overseas places.

“So it is a conclusion that perhaps in March, especially in the recent one or two weeks, the risk of Mainland returnees is definitely lower than that of people coming back from overseas.”

He added that tests on more than 400 Hubei returnees had also provided a reference for the level of infection risk in bringing people back from the province.

“There is only one confirmed case so far out of the 460-odd people returning from Wuhan and Hubei. So that is also one figure worth noting and that may tell us the level of risk as a reference.”

Dr Chui reiterated that the second batch of Hubei returnees would still undergo stringent health checks throughout the whole process of returning to Hong Kong.