Coronavirus: hundreds protest against Hong Kong quarantine sites in five locations near residential estates
- Fears of infection and anger from months-long anti-government movement spill over into opposition towards designated facilities
- Executive councillor doubles down on assurances to public, lamenting lack of space to bring back stranded Hongkongers on cruise and in Hubei
Hundreds of Hongkongers launched protests in five locations on Sunday against government plans to set up quarantine centres or screening clinics near their estates, amid the coronavirus outbreak in the city.
The demonstrations took place as authorities scrambled to bring back some 2,000 Hongkongers stranded in Hubei province, the epicentre of the Covid-19 crisis, as well as 330 residents on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.
Passengers have been stuck on the vessel for 11 days, with the number of infections rising.
Protesters in Kwai Chung, Cheung Sha Wan, Sai Kung, Fo Tan and Kowloon Bay said on Sunday they understood the need for the extra facilities as the number of suspected and confirmed infections in the city continued to rise. But they argued that these should be in areas far from residential estates.
In Kwai Chung, hundreds of protesters marched in the morning from a school to the South Kwai Chung Jockey Club General Outpatient Clinic, designated as a facility to treat patients with mild fever and respiratory illnesses.
