Coronavirus: US cites Sars and ‘ongoing uncertainty’ as reasons for letting consulate staff leave Hong Kong, but business leaders say they are staying put
- State Department official says the consulate also put up the option for employees during the 2003 Sars epidemic
- American Chamber of Commerce says ‘overall, the expatriate community is not panicking’
The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham), which represents 1,400 US companies, also said it was not making any recommendations on evacuation.
As of Wednesday evening, Hong Kong had 50 confirmed cases of the virus, which causes the disease now officially known as Covid-19. The coronavirus has killed one patient so far.
A State Department official said on Wednesday the consulate allowed non-essential staff to evacuate voluntarily during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) epidemic in 2003 and was just giving this option to employees now, but declined to reveal how many had indicated they wanted to leave.
“This is a prudent step and we have shared this information with the Hong Kong government proactively,” the official said of the move first announced on Tuesday evening, adding that those who wished to return to the US would have their flights paid for and would work from there.
