[Global Times Special Correspondent Yu Yu in Taipei] The outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic in South Korea, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have raised the alert level in unison.
According to Hong Kong's "Sing Tao Daily" reported on the 25th, the Security Bureau Director Li Jiachao announced on the 24th "Lightning" that a "red travel alert" was issued to South Korea. From 6 am on the 25th, foreign tourists from South Korea or those who have visited South Korea within 14 days are prohibited from entering Hong Kong. . The Minister of Food and Health, Chen Zhaoshi, said that all immigrants from South Korea need medical observation for 14 days, and local residents will be quarantined at the airport; in order to respond to most of the newly diagnosed cases in South Korea in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do, the Hong Kong government requires that Symptoms such as fever or Hong Kong people who have been to the above two places must be sent to a hospital or quarantine center for compulsory isolation.
On the eve of "sealing off" on the evening of the 24th, a total of 4 flights arrived from South Korea. Some Hong Kong people returning from South Korea stated that they had been asked whether they had been to Daegu when they entered the country and asked them to monitor their body temperature twice a day within 14 days after returning to Hong Kong. If there were suspected symptoms, they would need to notify the Department of Health immediately. On the 25th, the website of the Hong Kong Airport Authority showed that at least 11 flights to and from South Korea were temporarily cancelled on the same day. According to the Yonhap News Agency, Korean Air announced that it would suspend the operation of the Incheon-Hong Kong route, and Asiana Airlines also considered the suspension of the Hong Kong route. Hong Kong Airlines also announced that it will stop flying to Seoul and Incheon next week until March 28, involving 10 flights a week. The Travel Industry Council said that most of the travel agencies that accept Korean tour groups have decided to cancel tour groups departing this month and next month, involving at least 300 groups and more than 5,200 passengers. However, the Oriental Daily News website noted that on the 25th, there were still Hong Kong people traveling to South Korea without fear of the epidemic. A column article published in the "Toutiao Daily" stated that the new crown pneumonia is extremely contagious and requires a high sense of prevention. "Hong Kong people like to travel to Japan and South Korea. For the time being, it is better to stay quiet and move." Yuan Guoyong, a professor in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong, revealed that the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is discussing whether to adopt quarantine measures for people visiting Japan and other places.
On the 24th, Taiwan's "Central Epidemic Command Center" announced that South Korea's tourism was upgraded to a third-level warning. The anti-epidemic measures for entering Taiwan from South Korea are also stricter. Foreigners entering Korea from 0:00 on the 25th must undergo home quarantine for 14 days and must not go out. Taiwanese who enter from South Korea on the 25th and 26th must Implement 14-day independent health management and try not to go out; Taiwanese who have entered the country since 0:00 on the 27th will implement 14-day home quarantine. Commander Chen Shizhong called on Taiwanese who are still stranded in South Korea to return to Taiwan as soon as possible on the 27th. Taiwanese must not travel to South Korea unless necessary.
Taiwan media noticed that the epidemic situation in Japan was getting more and more serious, but the Taiwan authorities only warned South Korea to the highest level of the third level warning, and Japan remained at the second level. Chen Shizhong responded on the 25th that the number of confirmed cases between the two places is very different, and the development rate is also quite different. Japan has increased by about a single digit every day, and South Korea has a triple digit. However, the "China Times" of Taiwan analyzed on the 25th that if the number of confirmed diagnoses, South Korea is indeed higher than Japan, but if the number of "Diamond Princess" is added, Japan has exceeded South Korea; Daegu City and Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, which are listed as special management areas, are not capitals or popular attractions. The number of Taiwanese to go is limited, and the outbreak areas in Japan are popular attractions, including Hokkaido and Okinawa during the ski season , Tokyo, etc. In addition, Taiwanese people love to travel to Japan. According to the statistics of the Tourism Bureau, the number of visitors to Taiwan and Japan last year exceeded 6 million, while the number of Taiwan and South Korea was 2.5 million. "With the frequent interaction between Taiwan and Japan, Japan ’s epidemic prevention Attitudes and actions should be stricter. " The article questioned that the command center has been reluctant to raise travel warnings to Japan, repeatedly claiming that Japan is on the "margin of warning", on what basis? Please make it clear!
Macau announced that starting in the early morning of the 24th, all passengers who have arrived in South Korea within 14 days will enter the Macau Workers Stadium or check-in station at Bei'an Pier in Taipa for medical examinations. Li Dehui, director of the Public Relations Department of the Public Security Police Department, stated that all flights from Macau to South Korea have been cancelled since March 1.
According to data released by Hong Kong, as of 4:30 pm on the 25th, three new people were confirmed to be infected with the new coronavirus, with a total of 84 cases. On the same day, there were 31 confirmed cases in Taiwan and 10 cases in Macau.