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There are media reports overnight suggesting that Hong Hong either has, or shortly may, declare a community outbreak of 2019-nCoV following a half dozen local cases detected with no recent travel history to the mainland (see Hong Kong Confirms 2 More Locally Acquired Coronavirus Infections).
The full SCMP report, can be read at:
Coronavirus: community outbreak declared in Hong Kong as government prepares to quarantine mainland Chinese entering city in hotels and other facilities
- Lack of travel history in several confirmed cases convinces Professor Yuen Kwok-yung of local human-to-human transmission
- Carrie Lam adviser says government to quarantine incoming mainland Chinese in hotels and government centres
While the number of confirmed cases remains low, local hospitals are already showing the strain, as scores of people are being isolated and tested each day for the virus. Meanwhile several thousand HCWS remain off work due to a five-day strike.
Today, Hong Kong's Hospital Authority issued the following statement:
If Professor Yuen Kwok-yung is correct, we should see an increase in local cases in Hong Kong over the next couple of weeks, which will likely tell us a lot more about the transmissibility and impact of this epidemic.
Thursday, 6 February 2020
Serious impact on public hospital services
The spokesperson for Hospital Authority (HA) made the following announcement today (6 February). As a large number of staff members are anticipated to be absent from duty, emergency services in public hospitals will be affected to a certain extent today.
All public hospital Accident & Emergency Department can only focus their limited number of staff on duty to the provision of emergency services. The HA appeals to patients with mild condition to seek consultation at private hospitals and doctors. Specialist Outpatient Clinics can only provide limited services and patients are advised to reschedule their appointments by contacting the clinics. Patients can go to the clinics to refill their drugs if required.
In the interest of patients, the HA appeals to all healthcare workers who have not yet reported for duty to return to work the soonest to provide the patient services in need. The HA thanked the staff who have stayed on duty to maintain emergency services as far as possible.
Not quite 2 months ago - but weeks before this outbreak began - we looked at HCWs Willingness To Work During A Pandemic. Already we've seen this play out in Hong Kong, as a protest against the government's failure to cut off travelers from the mainland has seen more than 5,000 HCWs call out from work.
One of the biggest pandemic concerns expressed by Healthcare workers during an epidemic or a pandemic is a lack of proper PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment).As we saw earlier today, in Hong Kong Govt Scrambles To Acquire PPEs, providing protective gear to healthcare workers is going to be a challenge - not just in Hong Kong - but around the world.
If Professor Yuen Kwok-yung is correct, we should see an increase in local cases in Hong Kong over the next couple of weeks, which will likely tell us a lot more about the transmissibility and impact of this epidemic.
