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| Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau gates will be kept open to cross-border travelers |
The Hong Kong government has ordered a partial closure of
its border with China as
part of the effort to contain the spread of the deadly Wuhan
The West Rail Line from where high-speed trains run between Hong Kong and China has also been closed indefinitely and will be thoroughly sanitized. Nearly all confirmed cases in Hong Kong entered through this route.
Cross-border ferries that originate from China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui and the Tuen Mun Ferry will also stop running until further notice.
The Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To control points will be closed to private cars and passenger buses, while there will be limited trips for the shuttle coaches and ferries that go to Macau using the Lok Ma Chau and Shenzhen Bay ports, and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge crossings.
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| Cathay Dragon is among 4 local airlines that will gradually cut by half their flights to the mainland |
In summary, the following 6 border checkpoints will be closed indefinitely: Hung Hom, West Kowloon, Shau Tau Kok, Man Kam To, China Ferry Terminal and Tuen Mun Ferry Terminal.
Limited overland trips and ferry services to Macau will originate from Lok Ma Chau and Shenzhen Bay ports, and the HK-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge crossing.
Only these three crossings will remain open as before: Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau and Hong Kong International Airport.
All Hong Kong residents still in the mainland are urged to come back and stay at home for at least 14 days as a precaution against the spread of the virus.
Chief
Executive Carrie Lam again dismissed calls for a total sealing of the border,
saying Hong Kong people made up 75% of all those who left the city up to Jan
27, so it was not meaningful to pursue that option.
“There
are a large number of Hong Kong residents who
are now travelling in the Mainland and overseas and they need to come back. So,
I don’t think it is very meaningful to talk about a complete closure of the
boundary control points,” she said.
To
further limit the entry of people from the mainland, she said the Central
Government had agreed to stop issuing individual visas to Hong
Kong , effectively cutting down by half the number of mainland
visitors coming in. A further reduction is expected from suspending group tours
from the mainland.
The
government initiatives to contain the spread of the coronavirus so far include:
· Making
civil servants work from home, except those providing frontline and emergency
services, until Feb 2;
· Closing
all courts and suspending case hearings until Feb 2;
· Closing
all public parks (including HK Disneyland and Ocean Park), museums, leisure
centers, swimming pools and sports facilities until further notice;
· Scrapping
big events like the annual Hong Kong marathon, scheduled for Feb 5 and 6, and
public celebrations of the Lunar New Year;
· Suspending
all general visiting arrangements, volunteer services and clinical attachment
programs at public hospitals
· Temporarily
closing several government offices like the Companies Registry and Official
Receivers Office, and suspending public services by the Inland Revenue and
Labour Department until Feb 2.
