Hong Kong closes four more border crossings to curb spread of Coronavirus

Coronavirus

HONG KONG: Hong Kong`s leader announced the suspension of four more border crossings with mainland China. Now just three checkpoints remain open but stopped short of demands for the entire border to be closed to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

Fifteen number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus have been reported by Hong Kong. The virus emerged in central China in December last year has killed more than 360 people to date.

The Chief Executive of Chinese-ruled Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, was speaking hours after more than 2,500 workers from the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance (HAEA) went on strike to call for the border to be immediately closed and better protection for the hospital staff, among other demands.

Lam said, "We should be united if we have the same goal. At this critical moment, some people are taking extreme means and it is inevitable it will affect the rights of patients." The Hospital authority said, "Those using extreme means to try to force the government`s hand will not succeed."

The hospital workers who were on a strike booed as they watched Lam speak, calling her a liar and chanting: "Close all borders."

The medical workers, held a press conference shortly after Lam spoke and said they planned to keep up their strike action. 

HAEA chairwoman Winnie Yu said she expected around 9,000 of the alliance`s roughly 18,000 members to strike on Tuesday.

Around 40 unions have been formed by the Pro-democracy protesters in the recent months. This is their way to put their demands in front of the government and at least a dozen have come out in support of the HAEA`s strike.

Reflecting concerns in the broader business community, three-quarters of American business leaders polled said they wanted Hong Kong to shut the border with the mainland, according to a survey of 156 executives by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Lam refused to shut the entire border, saying such a move would be "inappropriate and impractical" and "discriminatory" as well.
By making it inconvenient for people to cross the border, Lam said she hoped it would help stop the spread of the virus although she does not "rule out future measures as the situation evolves".

The health scare comes after months of anti-government protests in Hong Kong triggered by fears the city`s autonomy, guaranteed under a "one country, two systems" formula which is being eroded by Beijing. China refuses to meddle and accuses foreign governments of instigating the unrest.

The coronavirus is expected to put more pressure on the former British colony, which on Monday reported its economy contracted for the first time in a decade in 2019.

The HAEA has put five demands for the government to close the border, distribute masks to the public, ensure that front-line medical workers have adequate supplies and protection, provide enough isolation wards for patients and guarantee no reprisals for strikers.

Residents who are in a panic over the spread of the virus have emptied shelves in major supermarkets in Hong Kong. They have stocked up meat, rice and cleaning products.

According to official data, about 90 percent of the city`s food is imported with the bulk coming from the mainland.

Toy shop owner Lam Wa-yin, 45, said, "Closing the border would intensify worries about supplies of staples. They`ve started rushing to buy supplies even before they have not fully closed the borders." He added, "It`ll get worse if it is fully closed, especially food. People have been rushing to buy oil, salt and rice, not to mention the face masks."