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(Fighting New Coronary Pneumonia) Hong Kong bans British passenger flights from entering Hong Kong from midnight due to current social distancing measures
China News Service, Hong Kong, December 21 (Reporter Han Xingtong) Recently, a virus variant appeared in the UK. To prevent the virus from spreading to the Hong Kong community, the Director of the Food and Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Chen Zhaoshi, held a press conference on the 21st to announce that he will begin midnight (ie 22:00 am) All UK passenger flights are prohibited from entering Hong Kong. He said the current social distancing measures will continue to be extended until January 6 of next year.
Chen Zhaoshi said that the virus that has emerged recently in the UK has a very strong transmission power, which is 70% higher than the current virus. Although current data shows that the relevant variant of the virus has not exacerbated people’s illness, the SAR government attaches great importance to the new situation and decided to start at midnight. (That is, at 0:00 on the 22nd), all people who have been in the UK for more than 2 hours in the last 14 days, including Hong Kong residents, will be prohibited from boarding and coming to Hong Kong . The real effect of this measure amounts to banning all passenger flights from the UK to Hong Kong.
As for people arriving in Hong Kong from the UK who are subject to mandatory quarantine, the SAR government will require them to extend the quarantine period. After completing the 14-day hotel quarantine, they will continue their home quarantine for 7 days until they are tested for the virus on the 19th or 20th and have a negative result. . The agreement will enter into force from 00:00 on the 22nd.
Chen Zhaoshi said that of the 1,255 confirmed cases in Hong Kong in the past 14 days, 80 were imported cases and 17 British arrivals, representing 21% of all imported cases. Also, many foreign students have recently returned to Hong Kong from the UK on vacation. Strict and specific measures need to be introduced immediately to prevent problems before they occur.
Subsequently, Hong Kong Cathay Pacific announced that it would cancel flights to the United Kingdom from today until January 10 next year.
Regarding the situation of the British virus variant, Leung Cheuk Wai, dean of the Li Ka-shing School of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), explained at the press conference that the variant strain of the virus is called N501Y , which contains about 20 genetic mutations, of which 7 to 8 involve spines. Shape protein (spike protein, also known as protein S). According to research conducted by the University of Hong Kong team, the infectivity of the mutated virus strain will increase by 75%, which is roughly equivalent to the 70% announced by the UK.
Liang Zhuowei also said that no such genetic mutation has been found in Hong Kong so far, but for security reasons, full genetic sequencing will be performed on samples from British arrivals in confirmed cases to reconfirm.
On the same day, the SAR government announced that existing social distancing measures will continue in effect until January 6 next year, including a ban on eating after 6 p.m., the continuous closure of nightclubs. and other premises included in the list, the “meeting restricted order” for two people and masks Order maintenance and so on.
Chen Zhaoshi emphasized once again that the local epidemic is at its most serious and critical moment. Although the authorities have tightened the measures several times in the last period of time, the daily number of confirmed diagnoses still remains at a maximum level of 80 to 100. The average number of local cases of unknown origin in 7 days is approximately 31 He frankly said that the epidemic will occur in the next two weeks. Whether it deteriorates further, maintains a high position, or backs down depends on whether the public refrains from participating in Christmas family gatherings, whether they are always vigilant in maintaining personal and environmental hygiene, and whether they can successfully prevent the emerging mutant virus. in the UK join the Hong Kong community. He appealed to the public to continue to be patient. (End up)
