17th March 2020 – (Hong Kong) The Hong Kong government announced earlier that it issued red outbound travel warnings to Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States from 00:00 on Thursday (19th). Anyone who has visited the above places 14 days before arriving in Hong Kong must undergo compulsory home quarantine. After learning the news, a large number of Hong Kong residents including students started to buy tickets to return to Hong Kong before the deadline. The situation caused air ticket prices to spike and despite the fact that Cathay Pacific increased additional flights in response to the sudden surge in demand, there was still a shortage of supply. Many were concerned that the returning flights from Europe, in particular, London might bring back infected passengers.

Since 6pm yesterday, firemen received many reports with regards to tourists who felt unwell at the Hong Kong International Airport. Many paramedics arrived at the airport to be on standby. After midnight, there were more ambulance arriving at the airport to send unwell patients to the hospital. At least 28 people were sent via different ambulance to the hospital.

At 5.30pm yesterday, there were many passengers on board of SWISS flight no. LX 138 who were unwell. At 11.45pm yesterday, three ambulances sent multiple patients including 2 men and 1 woman, foreign tourists to Princess Margaret Hospital. At 12.15am today, over 28 people were sent to Princess Margaret Hospital, Yan Chai Hospital and Caritas Medical Centre. At 12.30am today, Centre for Health Protection expressed that over 10 passengers felt unwell after filling up the health declaration forms at the Hong Kong International Airport.



The staff of the port health department arranged for them to be sent to the hospital for treatment. Most of them had only mild respiratory symptoms and arrived on different flights. However, it was reported that more than a dozen passengers had reported discomfort on board the aircraft and were taken to the hospital by ambulance after preliminary inspection upon arriving in Hong Kong.

In the evening yesterday, Cathay Pacific flight no CX254 from London’s Heathrow Airport arrived in Hong Kong. Several passengers on board reported discomfort, leading to suspected COVID-19 cases. It is understood that some people had developed respiratory symptoms. More than ten ambulances have been deployed to pick up the unwell passengers before sending them to various public hospitals, and quick tests have been arranged for them.