Third chartered flight taking back Hong Kong residents on board Diamond Princess departed Tokyo (with photos/video)
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There are five Hong Kong residents taking the flight back home today. Before they alight the aircraft, medical officers of the Department of Health (DH) will briefly explain the quarantine arrangement to them and check their body temperature. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, they will be transferred by coaches to the quarantine centre at Chun Yeung Estate (CYE) for quarantine observation for 14 days.
The last two chartered flights have brought 188 Hong Kong residents back home. Together with the 20 passengers coming back on their own by other flights, there are up till now 208 passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise under quarantine at the quarantine centre at CYE.
The Director of Immigration, Mr Erick Tsang, who is in charge of the repatriation operation, the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Sonny Au, and most members of the task force, including officers of the Security Bureau, the Immigration Department (ImmD), DH and the Hospital Authority, are also taking the flight home upon completion of the mission.
Up to February 22, there were a total of 634 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise, of which 68 were Hong Kong residents. They are under treatment in Japan. A number of ImmD officers are staying in Japan to continue to provide assistance to the Hong Kong residents who are receiving medical treatment there.
The Japanese authorities yesterday arranged all passengers who are close contacts of the confirmed cases, including about 30 Hong Kong residents who are close contacts, to continue their quarantine at land quarantine facilities for 14 days counting from the day of last contact with the confirmed cases. The SAR Government is proactively following up on the feasible options to take them back. The concerned persons must be tested with negative results on COVID-19, asymptomatic and fit for travelling.
Ends/Sunday, February 23, 2020
Issued at HKT 1:58
Issued at HKT 1:58
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Third batch of Hong Kong residents on board Diamond Princess returns to Hong Kong