Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Coronavirus: top Hong Kong microbiologist urges government to make masks mandatory, step up social-distancing enforcement

‘Mask wearing works. It can block the spread of the virus from people who may not show symptoms yet,’ HKU’s Dr Ho Pak-leung says. Chinese University professor echoes call for tougher measures unless daily infection tally dips back down to single digits

The government should make mask wearing mandatory and step up enforcement of social-distancing laws to prevent Covid-19 transmission, the University of Hong Kong’s top microbiologist has said.

Dr Ho Pak-leung’s comments came a day after HKU infectious disease expert Yuen Kwok-yung warned of a third wave of infections as mainland Chinese gradually return to Hong Kong, and senior government adviser Bernard Chan suggested the possibility of a strict lockdown.

Ho on Monday urged the Hong Kong government to set up emergency laws making mask wearing mandatory in all public places.

“Mask wearing works. It can block the spread of the virus from people who may not show symptoms yet,” he said on an RTHK radio programme. “There are already regulations in place for masks in restaurants other than when customers are eating. The rules should be extended to hospitals and other public places.”

Hong Kong has since late March banned public gatherings of more than four people, while cinemas, fitness centres, bars, pubs and other leisure venues have been ordered to close for two weeks. Restaurants also are required to keep tables 1.5 metres apart. As of Sunday, the city has 890 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Executive Council convenor Bernard Chan on Sunday said preventive measures could be extended to limit restaurants to takeaway service, or even see non-essential businesses closed entirely, leaving most residents little choice but to stay home for two weeks.

Ho echoed Chan’s call for stronger measures, suggesting existing measures should also be extended beyond the two-week period, while tough enforcement of social-distancing regulations were needed to stop people from flouting the rules.

“If we drag our feet and do not take action to break the transmission chain now, the effect on small businesses will be even worse in the future,” Ho said.

Speaking on the same programme, Dr David Hui Shu-cheong, a respiratory disease expert at Chinese University, said tougher measures would be needed if the number of infections continues to surge this week.

“If the cases only increase by single digits, we may not need stronger rules, but if not, then it should be considered,” he said.

Hui also said Hong Kong’s first possible case of hospital transmission of the coronavirus could have been caused by contaminated medical equipment.

More than 200 patients and health workers at Pok Oi Hospital in Yuen Long have undergone testing for Covid-19 after a 93-year-old stroke patient was infected during his stay. It was later found he had contracted the disease from a 33-year-old man in the same ward who had first tested negative but was later confirmed sick.

Of the 174 people who received testing, 171 have returned negative results, the hospital’s chief executive Dr Chong Yee-hung said on Monday.

Speaking about the case, Dr Hui said medical equipment could have been contaminated, as it was unclear whether the two men had personal contact.

“We would need to confirm with hospital staff whether the [33-year-old] man may have come in contact with the older patient. Ideally, he would be placed in a transition ward after the first negative test, but with isolation wards reaching full capacity, it is difficult to do so,” Hui said.

The suspected hospital transmission raised fears of a repeat of the large-scale outbreak in ward 8A of Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin during 2003’s severe acute respiratory syndrome crisis. That case saw a patient infect 11 health care staff before eventually spreading to a total of 137 people.

But Dr Arisina Ma Chung-yee, president of the Hong Kong Public Doctors’ Association, said the ventilation systems had improved since then, making a repeat of that scenario unlikely.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×