HONG KONG (AFP): Hong Kong on Saturday (Feb 8) began enforcing a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone arriving from mainland China, a dramatic escalation of its bid to stop the deadly new coronavirus from spreading. Hong Kong residents are allowed to self-quarantine at home and mainland and international visitors at hotels or other accommodation they have arranged. Anyone who has been to mainland China in the past 14 days and then flies into Hong Kong from another destination will also be quarantined. Hong Kong gained first-hand experience of a deadly disease outbreak in 2002-03 when Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, swept through, killing 299 people. Hong Kong has 26 confirmed cases, with one patient who died earlier this week.

Source: The Star February 08, 2020 03:22 UTC