Spread of Unknown Cause Pneumonia in China... Neighboring Countries Strengthen Precautions

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo]

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

As cases of pneumonia of unknown cause surge in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, the number of suspected pneumonia patients who have visited Wuhan is increasing in nearby regions including Hong Kong, prompting local health authorities to raise alarms.

According to local media such as Ming Pao on the 5th, Hong Kong health authorities announced that six additional patients under observation were identified from noon the previous day until 11 a.m. on the same day (local time).

The patients under observation showed symptoms of pneumonia such as high fever and respiratory infection after visiting Wuhan, the epicenter of the unknown pneumonia outbreak, within the last 14 days. This brings the total number of patients under observation in Hong Kong to 14.

Since the previous day, Hong Kong health authorities have elevated their response to the "serious response" level and strengthened management by deploying additional infrared cameras at the airport to identify patients with high fever.

Singapore health authorities are also treating a 3-year-old girl who recently traveled to Wuhan and is showing pneumonia symptoms in isolation. Since the 3rd, temperature screenings have been conducted on travelers arriving from Wuhan at Changi International Airport.

In Macau, which borders mainland China, vigilance against the unknown pneumonia is also being heightened.

Macau health authorities reported that since the 1st, four patients who showed symptoms such as high fever after visiting Wuhan were found, but all were diagnosed with common colds or flu. In Taiwan, a 6-year-old child who arrived via Wuhan on the 31st of last month showed fever symptoms and is being closely monitored.

As cases of pneumonia of unknown cause continue to emerge, concerns are growing in China that SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which caused significant damage in China and Hong Kong from 2002 to 2003, might be reemerging.

SARS first broke out in Guangdong Province, China, bordering Hong Kong, at the end of 2002, quickly spreading to Hong Kong where 1,750 people were infected and 299 died. In China, over 5,300 people were infected and 349 died.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.