China coronavirus: how it affects visitors to Hong Kong - attractions are closed, shops are open, face masks are BYO

It’s quite safe to be in Hong Kong, though if you want to wear face masks you had best bring them with you – supplies are limited, but some hotels provide them

The Star Ferry and Peak Tram are still operating, but theme parks and museums are not. Travel to China is restricted; airlines will make refunds on some tickets

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A child with a face mask plays on his bike outside the West Kowloon terminus of the high-speed railway to mainland China. Services have been suspended because of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 8:01pm, 28 Jan 2020Updated: 8:32pm, 29 Jan 2020

Is it safe to travel to Hong Kong? And what should travellers expect if they already have plans in place to visit the city?

The coronavirus outbreak has infected more than 6,000 people and led to more than 130 deaths, and those figures are expected to increase in coming days. Most of the cases are in mainland China, but there are confirmed cases around the world, including eight reported cases in Hong Kong, most of them people who have been in the city of Wuhan, the centre of the outbreak.

Hong Kong schools have been closed until February 17 and workers have been told to work from home in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.

For now, there is no official warning against travel to Hong Kong. The UK Foreign Office says that those travelling to Hong Kong “should comply with any additional screening measures put in place by the Hong Kong authorities”. However, it advises against all but essential travel to Hubei province, of which Wuhan is the capital city, while the Hong Kong government is cutting cross-border travel to and from mainland China, and reducing flights by half.

Travellers at the West Kowloon terminus of the high-speed rail line to China. Train services have been suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

British Airways is offering full refunds for passengers booked to fly to mainland China and Hong Kong up to February 23. Cathay Pacific is offering refunds for flights to mainland China if they were booked before January 25.