EditorialCooperation needed to control disease outbreak

Vigilance is the first line of defence in fighting infectious diseases. The Hong Kong government has rightly raised its guard as a mysterious virus is spreading within the central mainland city of Wuhan in a way reminiscent of the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome and bird flu years ago. With cross-border travel expected to increase during Lunar New Year and little known about the origin of the disease and its chain of infection, worries are understandable. Health authorities on both sides should strengthen liaison and preventive measures to keep the outbreak in check.

Speaking after an urgent meeting on Tuesday, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said the situation was “unusual”. What is known is that the 27 people who have shown symptoms of pneumonia all have links to a local seafood market. Most of them suffered from fever and breathing problems, and seven were seriously ill. Thankfully, at least two are now said to be recovering well and no human-to-human infection has been reported.

The government has conveyed the right sense of urgency by raising the alert. This includes stepping up temperature screenings for arrivals at the airport and high-speed rail terminus in West Kowloon. Public and private hospitals are also prepared, with isolation arrangements in place for those showing flu symptoms and having a travel history to Wuhan.

However, such steps may be more effective through greater transparency and more stringent measures on the mainland. The outbreak, which began a month ago, only came to light on Monday night when an urgent notice from Wuhan health department telling hospitals to report cases of “pneumonia of unknown origin” began circulating on social media. With a quarter of the cases deemed as severe infections, there is every reason to remain alert, but the vigilance of Hong Kong authorities and the measures taken so far give no cause for panic at this stage.

Our painful experience in fighting Sars and bird flu has put us in a stronger position to combat other infectious diseases. With higher transparency and closer cooperation on both sides, the virus can be kept under control.