https://www.scmp.com/rss/506814/feed Latest news and updates on the impact of a new strain of coronavirus on Hong Kong. The virus causes the disease Covid-19 and the World Health Organisation has declared the spread of the infection a pandemic. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong taxpayers may have to shoulder nearly HK$28 billion (US$3.57 billion) in bad loans from a now-defunct, fully government-backed financing scheme designed to help smaller enterprises survive the Covid pandemic. Official data released to legislators showed that of the 67,189 loan applications approved under the special scheme, 13,231 had defaulted by the end of February, involving a total sum of HK$27.8 billion. This translates to a default rate of 19.3 per cent. As guarantor, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349954/hong-kong-taxpayers-face-hk28-billion-covid-bad-loan-burden-smes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3349954/hong-kong-taxpayers-face-hk28-billion-covid-bad-loan-burden-smes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial A small outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus in India has prompted health alerts across Asia – including screening of inbound passengers in Hong Kong – because of the disease’s high fatality rate. Thankfully there are factors so far against the virus’ spread beyond Kolkata, the capital of the state of West Bengal. They include reports of containment, low transmissibility and the absence of a direct air link with Kolkata, where the central authorities say there are only two confirmed cases and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3341661/hong-kong-right-remain-vigilant-against-nipah-virus-spread?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3341661/hong-kong-right-remain-vigilant-against-nipah-virus-spread?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 22:45:07 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The disruption of school life by Covid-19 pandemic control measures took a heavy toll on education. It was reflected by a fall in standards of proficiency in a number of subjects that continued after the measures were lifted. Thankfully, standards seem to have stabilised and, in some cases, to have begun rebounding. Evidence of this is to be found in the latest annual Territory-wide System Assessment conducted by education authorities earlier this year. A case in point is the proficiency in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3333911/rebound-hong-kong-pupils-english-proficiency-encouraging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3333911/rebound-hong-kong-pupils-english-proficiency-encouraging?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:15:15 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification It is a sad reality that Hong Kong is still struggling to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic. Many seem to be having difficulty adjusting to the post-Covid world despite the World Health... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3323601/fear-covid-19-holding-back-hong-kongs-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3323601/fear-covid-19-holding-back-hong-kongs-economic-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 03:30:07 +0000 Victoria Bela,Holly Chik Victoria Bela,Holly Chik In the fourth instalment of a series to mark the 10th anniversary of the Future Science Prize, Victoria Bela and Holly Chik look at Professor Malik Peiris’s contributions to public health and virology, which earned him the 2021 award in life science. Click here for parts one, two and three. The next pandemic is inevitable, yet the world may not be any better prepared than it was before Covid-19, a top virologist has warned, and to prevent it, a more resilient world integrating human, animal and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3322249/next-pandemic-inevitable-top-hong-kong-virologist-says-and-world-may-not-be-ready?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3322249/next-pandemic-inevitable-top-hong-kong-virologist-says-and-world-may-not-be-ready?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 22:00:22 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Hong Kong has welcomed a new wave of travellers combining business and leisure, who have revitalised the city’s luxury hotel sector, according to Benjamin Vuchot, the executive director and CEO of Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels (HSH), operator of The Peninsula Hotels. “The opportunity is primarily driven by business trips, but it evolves into leisure as well,” Vuchot said in an interview with the Post on Wednesday. “That’s a very important trend from a growth perspective.” He noted that what... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3320997/hong-kongs-peninsula-hotels-sees-bleisure-boom-after-pandemic-curbs-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3320997/hong-kongs-peninsula-hotels-sees-bleisure-boom-after-pandemic-curbs-ceo-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 13:44:35 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung The Hospital Authority’s outgoing chief executive has said Hong Kong public hospitals are on the right path in terms of finances, manpower and infrastructure, with his term as the organisation’s top man being a “complete and abundant” experience. Dr Tony Ko Pat-sing, who will retire by the end of the month, described his past six years as a “joyful time” despite having to overcome challenges brought by anti-government protests and the Covid-19 pandemic. “I feel reassured,” Ko said on Thursday.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3319646/hong-kong-public-healthcare-moving-right-path-outgoing-hospital-authority-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3319646/hong-kong-public-healthcare-moving-right-path-outgoing-hospital-authority-head?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Lam Ka-sing,Elizabeth Cheung Lam Ka-sing,Elizabeth Cheung Patients requiring Covid-19 oral antiviral drugs from private doctors in Hong Kong are set to pay about HK$7,000 (US$892) for a course of treatment, after the government said it would stop providing the medication for free as virus cases had subsided. The Centre for Health Protection said on Thursday that the provision of free drugs would be discontinued on July 29. The arrangement, in effect since April 2022, has led to about 200,000 treatment courses being prescribed for free by private... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3318619/hong-kong-private-patients-pay-hk7000-covid-19-drugs-free-supply-ends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3318619/hong-kong-private-patients-pay-hk7000-covid-19-drugs-free-supply-ends?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:00:12 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A Hong Kong doctor has been jailed for nine months for issuing Covid-19 vaccination exemption certificates to four people without making a proper medical diagnosis, as a court heard how he raked in more than HK$4.6 million (US$585,980) from those who wanted to avoid the inoculations. The District Court on Friday sentenced Dr Wong Ping-leung for his dishonest use of the government’s electronic health record system to generate the certificates at his clinic in Chai Wan’s Hing Wah Plaza between... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3317934/hong-kong-doctor-jailed-issuing-covid-vaccine-exemptions-without-medical-checks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3317934/hong-kong-doctor-jailed-issuing-covid-vaccine-exemptions-without-medical-checks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Jul 2025 13:57:48 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun A Hong Kong coroner’s inquest has ruled that a 14-year-old girl died of natural causes after developing acute myocarditis three years ago, despite her father’s insistence that her death was linked to coronavirus vaccinations. The girl’s father, Tai Shun-keung, called Friday’s ruling “unacceptable”, stating the incident had torn his family apart and led him to depression. A five-member jury at the Coroner’s Court delivered a unanimous verdict on Friday, following a three-day inquiry, stating Tai... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3316139/hong-kong-fathers-anguish-after-inquest-rules-teen-died-natural-causes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3316139/hong-kong-fathers-anguish-after-inquest-rules-teen-died-natural-causes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Jun 2025 10:39:49 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau Hong Kong’s vulnerable groups should get vaccinated against Covid-19 infections once a year as new outbreaks will occur every six to nine months, a medical expert has urged. David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, made the appeal on Saturday while noting that the current wave of Covid-19 infections had been declining since late last month and could end in July or August. “The current outbreak started in April, peaked at the end of May and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3315322/vulnerable-groups-hong-kong-should-get-covid-19-vaccinations-medical-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3315322/vulnerable-groups-hong-kong-should-get-covid-19-vaccinations-medical-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Jun 2025 03:57:11 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 3.5/5 stars A potentially corny tale involving old-fashioned gangland heroics and an ex-convict father’s belated redemption is told with a great deal of nuance and heart in Fight for Tomorrow, a refreshingly uplifting crime drama by Hong Kong writer-director Chan Tai-lee (Tomorrow is Another Day). In a rare leading role that marks his best performance in years, veteran actor Patrick Tam Yiu-man (Breakout Brothers) leaves a vivid impression as Shek Sam-long, a former mob boss who was once known... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315066/fight-tomorrow-movie-review-patrick-tam-anchors-surprisingly-uplifting-gangster-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315066/fight-tomorrow-movie-review-patrick-tam-anchors-surprisingly-uplifting-gangster-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 09:45:08 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Covid-19 activity in Hong Kong is starting to show signs of decline from a recent peak, but levels are expected to remain high for the next month or two. The Centre for Health Protection on Thursday also urged high-risk groups to receive booster vaccinations to reduce the chances of serious complications or even death. According to the centre, the latest data as of May 24 shows that both the viral load of Covid from sewage surveillance and the test positivity rate of respiratory samples have... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3312355/hong-kong-covid-levels-ease-recent-peak-set-persist-coming-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3312355/hong-kong-covid-levels-ease-recent-peak-set-persist-coming-months?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 May 2025 15:17:40 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The head of a paediatric infectious diseases unit at a Hong Kong public hospital has said his ward is now full of young, unvaccinated Covid-19 patients, urging parents to get their children inoculated to prevent severe symptoms. Mike Kwan Yat-wah and another medical expert said on Saturday that they expected the current wave of infections, which started in April, would peak soon following a recent surge in the number of cases, including children. “As a frontline paediatrician, I now notice the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3310747/hong-kong-children-urged-get-covid-jabs-whole-paediatric-ward-full?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3310747/hong-kong-children-urged-get-covid-jabs-whole-paediatric-ward-full?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 May 2025 06:14:19 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A Hong Kong doctor has become the first practitioner among seven facing government accusations to be convicted over issuing Covid-19 vaccination exemption certificates without making a proper medical diagnosis. Appearing at the District Court on Friday, 62-year-old Dr Wong Ping-leung pleaded guilty to the offence of issuing certificates without conducting proper checks between February and June of 2022. The city had a “vaccine pass” scheme in place at the time. Under the policy, members of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3310703/hong-kong-doctor-admits-issuing-covid-jab-exemptions-without-medical-checks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3310703/hong-kong-doctor-admits-issuing-covid-jab-exemptions-without-medical-checks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 12:14:40 +0000 Sammy Heung Sammy Heung Hong Kong health authorities have recorded 30 Covid-19-related deaths among 81 severe adult cases in the past four weeks, with the proportion of positive respiratory samples in the same period hitting a one-year high. But experts have said the overall impact of the virus on the community is weaker than in the past, while there is no evidence suggesting the prevalent strain will lead to more severe disease. The Post unpacks the current Covid-19 situation in the city and what residents can do to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3310682/covid-19-hong-kong-guide-resurgence-cases-and-how-stay-safe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3310682/covid-19-hong-kong-guide-resurgence-cases-and-how-stay-safe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 11:17:22 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong A key indicator of Covid-19 levels in Hong Kong over the past four weeks has hit its highest rate in a year and 30 deaths have been recorded, despite an expert saying the overall impact of the virus had become milder. The Centre for Health Protection said on Thursday the proportion of respiratory samples testing positive had increased to 13.7 per cent from 6.2 per cent four weeks prior in early April, marking a new high in a year. Positive samples from sewage tests and patients at clinics and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3310504/impact-covid-19-milder-hong-kong-despite-26-deaths-past-4-weeks-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3310504/impact-covid-19-milder-hong-kong-despite-26-deaths-past-4-weeks-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 May 2025 10:17:50 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Two children have fallen seriously ill with Covid-19 in Hong Kong, with one in a critical condition, prompting renewed calls for high-risk groups to get inoculated amid a rising trend of infections. According to the Centre for Health Protection, a 17-month-old girl, previously in good health but unvaccinated, developed a fever and cough on Friday. She sought medical help at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam on Sunday before being admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit. Her respiratory... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3310055/2-children-seriously-ill-covid-19-hong-kong-amid-rising-infection-trend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3310055/2-children-seriously-ill-covid-19-hong-kong-amid-rising-infection-trend?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 May 2025 14:07:30 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority has identified suspected Covid-19 contamination in a batch of flocked swabs used in five public hospitals, with two patients found to have shown false positive results. The authority said on Saturday that a laboratory at the Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung detected weak positive results for Covid-19 in some of the flocked swab samples after routine tests were conducted on a batch of specimen collection kits. Following the discovery, authorities took... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3309852/hong-kong-investigates-suspected-covid-19-contamination-swabs-5-hospitals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3309852/hong-kong-investigates-suspected-covid-19-contamination-swabs-5-hospitals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 May 2025 09:56:36 +0000 Alice Wu Alice Wu Every now and then, Hong Kong’s Legislative Council reminds us of grade school. Just like in a school year, lawmakers have historically enjoyed a summer recess – of two to three months at the end of July – before beginning the next legislative year in October. After the 2021 overhaul of the electoral system, however, Legco elections were moved from September to December, which meant the legislative year started in January instead. To ensure that school could still be out for the summer,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3308866/hong-kong-doesnt-need-lawmakers-who-have-be-reminded-do-their-job?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3308866/hong-kong-doesnt-need-lawmakers-who-have-be-reminded-do-their-job?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 May 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Graeme Green Graeme Green Thor Pedersen’s wedding day was a strange affair. Wearing a new suit he’d had tailored in Hong Kong, he was alone in his Kwai Chung flat while his Danish fiancée, Le, was more than 8,000km away in Denmark. Due to the different time zones, they didn’t even get married on the same day. “It was lockdown in Denmark because of the pandemic,” explains Pedersen. “Le was alone in her apartment and couldn’t have any friends or family over. We were getting married through an agency in Utah, in the United... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3308623/how-one-mans-globetrotting-tour-was-waylaid-covid-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3308623/how-one-mans-globetrotting-tour-was-waylaid-covid-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 May 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong health experts have called for older residents to get at least one Covid-19 booster shot annually after the city recorded 10 coronavirus-related deaths in one month, with fewer than 100,000 vaccine doses given to those aged 50 and above over the past year. A total of 98,049 doses of vaccines were administered to people aged 50 and older over the 12-month period up to the end of March, according to the Centre for Health Protection. A further breakdown by age groups was not... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3308411/hong-kong-health-experts-urge-older-residents-get-covid-jab-amid-fatalities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3308411/hong-kong-health-experts-urge-older-residents-get-covid-jab-amid-fatalities?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Apr 2025 13:03:20 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu Hongkongers’ water usage has dropped by 12 per cent compared with during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, a city official has said. Director of Water Supplies Roger Wong Yan-lok also said on Saturday that the government was still deciding how much to adjust prices by, about nine months after his organisation floated the idea. He added that the department had learned from the hotel, catering and construction sectors that a gradual approach to such changes was important. Wong said the average... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3305338/hongkongers-water-usage-drops-12-compared-covid-19-pandemic-peak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3305338/hongkongers-water-usage-drops-12-compared-covid-19-pandemic-peak?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Apr 2025 07:38:43 +0000 Japanese novelist and marathon runner Haruki Murakami once wrote: “Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest.” More than an exercise, running is a means to know yourself, your limits and capability, and develop your mental and physical strengths. Whether at home or abroad, running is also one of the best ways to learn about our environment. If you want to dive deeply into a city beyond the advertised landmarks and tourist... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3301812/hong-kong-needs-more-inspiring-and-engaging-marathon-route?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3301812/hong-kong-needs-more-inspiring-and-engaging-marathon-route?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam The operator of Hong Kong’s trams has proposed raising adult fares by 10 per cent – or 30 HK cents (4 US cents) – to HK$3.30, saying passenger volume has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Under a proposal submitted to transport authorities by Hong Kong Tramways on Tuesday, adult fares will be increased from the current HK$3. Concessionary fares for children aged between three years and 11 will rise from HK$1.50 to HK$1.60, an increase of 6.7 per cent, and for elderly residents above 65 years... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3298242/hong-kong-tram-passengers-face-fare-increases-154-under-proposal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3298242/hong-kong-tram-passengers-face-fare-increases-154-under-proposal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Feb 2025 09:32:35 +0000 More than 20 years ago the government set up a panel of international experts to inquire into the handling of the Sars epidemic. Its report led to improvements to healthcare for infectious diseases. The Hospital Authority and the Legislative Council also held inquiries. But the city moved on from the Covid-19 pandemic without any such inquiry. Resisting it, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said officials had been reviewing and improving their responses along the way. So the city did not get to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3297091/lessons-learned-pandemic-can-bolster-response-next-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3297091/lessons-learned-pandemic-can-bolster-response-next-one?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Feb 2025 22:30:11 +0000 Oscar Liu,Emily Hung Oscar Liu,Emily Hung Medical experts have urged parents not to delay seeking diagnosis and treatment for children with flu symptoms, following a spate of severe cases complicated by other viral and bacterial infections in Hong Kong. Their call came as temperatures were predicted to drop to as low as 10 degree Celsius (50 Farenheit) on Monday under the impact of an intense winter monsoon. The mercury in higher areas such as Tai Mo Shan hit 8.4 degrees on Sunday, prompting calls from authorities for families to pay... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296316/dont-delay-seeking-help-children-flu-symptoms-hong-kong-parents-urged?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296316/dont-delay-seeking-help-children-flu-symptoms-hong-kong-parents-urged?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2025 05:09:06 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung In this series to mark five years since Hong Kong recorded its first Covid-19 case on January 22, 2020, the Post looks at how some residents’ lives changed and examines the city’s readiness for the next global pandemic. Hong Kong’s progress in producing vaccines to tackle infectious diseases has been stalled by a lack of private funding, among other reasons, experts have told the Post. The Covid-19 pandemic fuelled local scientists’ desire to develop vaccines, but they have not managed to go... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296310/5-years-after-covid-why-cant-hong-kong-produce-home-grown-vaccines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296310/5-years-after-covid-why-cant-hong-kong-produce-home-grown-vaccines?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2025 04:00:28 +0000 Emily Hung,Sammy Heung,Elizabeth Cheung Emily Hung,Sammy Heung,Elizabeth Cheung In this series of stories to mark five years since Hong Kong recorded its first Covid-19 case on January 22, 2020, the Post looks at how some residents’ lives changed and examines the city’s readiness for the next global pandemic. Care home operator Grace Li Fai remembers the Covid-19 pandemic, which claimed more than 13,000 lives in Hong Kong, as “a devastating time”. “I dare not look back, nor can I forget it. The elderly were dying, staff were terrified to work, and no care home was spared,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296291/will-hong-kong-do-better-when-next-big-public-health-crisis-hits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296291/will-hong-kong-do-better-when-next-big-public-health-crisis-hits?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2025 01:00:19 +0000 Pets provided their owners with much-needed companionship during the pandemic, when ownership in Hong Kong grew along with spending on food and medical care for the animals. But ownership comes with responsibilities. And there has long been a recognition that the welfare of animals in the city needs to be better protected. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has warned that a post-pandemic desire among people to travel has dampened enthusiasm for keeping pets,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3296040/stricter-hong-kong-law-animal-cruelty-long-overdue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3296040/stricter-hong-kong-law-animal-cruelty-long-overdue?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jan 2025 22:00:20 +0000 In this series of stories to mark five years since Hong Kong recorded its first Covid-19 case on January 22, 2020, the Post looks at how some residents’ lives changed and examines the city’s readiness for the next global pandemic. The Covid-19 pandemic is over, but Hongkonger Eunice To continues to cope with a severe skin condition and health issues she is convinced were triggered by vaccines. The 26-year-old has no proof, and doctors she saw were divided on whether the vaccines could be blamed.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3295378/hongkongers-worsening-eczema-food-allergies-fuel-her-doubts-over-covid-jabs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3295378/hongkongers-worsening-eczema-food-allergies-fuel-her-doubts-over-covid-jabs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jan 2025 09:33:37 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung In this series of stories to mark five years since Hong Kong recorded its first Covid-19 case on January 22, 2020, the Post looks at how some residents’ lives changed and examines the city’s readiness for the next global pandemic. Chloe Wang Kai-ying’s parents knew she had a delayed speech condition, but the child was practically mute when she started primary school in 2023. Social distancing measures through the Covid-19 pandemic which began in 2020, when she was three years old, kept her... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3295365/hong-kong-kids-special-needs-still-struggling-walk-talk-after-covid-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3295365/hong-kong-kids-special-needs-still-struggling-walk-talk-after-covid-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jan 2025 07:00:16 +0000 Sammy Heung Sammy Heung In this series of stories to mark five years since Hong Kong recorded its first Covid-19 case on January 22, 2020, the Post looks at how some residents’ lives changed and examines the city’s readiness for the next global pandemic. Leaping into the air and delivering a powerful strike on the volleyball, Oscar Ko Wing-chun dreamed of turning professional and representing Hong Kong in the sport one day. That was five years ago, when he was in secondary school. Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/series/3295344/covid-dashed-volleyball-dreams-led-hongkonger-become-taoist-priest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/series/3295344/covid-dashed-volleyball-dreams-led-hongkonger-become-taoist-priest?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jan 2025 03:30:21 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong The outgoing president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has said he will focus on medical research and remain involved in academia after his tenure ends next week. Professor Rocky Tuan Sung-chi also said that one of the most unforgettable experiences during his seven years at the helm of the university was the “unprecedented challenges” created by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to remarks published in a university newsletter on Thursday. He will step down as president and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3293171/outgoing-cuhk-head-focus-medical-research-remain-involved-academia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3293171/outgoing-cuhk-head-focus-medical-research-remain-involved-academia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 09:21:51 +0000 The World Health Organization is urging Beijing to share information that will shed light on the origins of Covid-19, five years after the virus first surfaced and reshaped the global geopolitical landscape. At least 7.1 million people, including 1.2 million in the US, have died from the virus, according to the WHO, which began publicising data reported by its 194 member states on December 31, 2019 – the day the health committee in Wuhan released its first statement on the cases of “viral... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3292810/five-years-who-urges-china-share-covid-19-origins-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3292810/five-years-who-urges-china-share-covid-19-origins-data?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Dec 2024 18:11:20 +0000 Around the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, former Hong Kong Institution of Engineers president Yuen Pak-leung saw a news report about a 1,000-bed hospital being built in 10 days in the mainland Chinese city of Wuhan. Yuen, who had worked in hospital engineering for more than 40 years, was having dim sum but immediately drew a design on paper for an isolation ward, thinking Hong Kong was also capable of doing something similar to Wuhan. That was in February 2020 and just four months later, Yuen... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292681/how-hong-kong-hospital-engineer-tackled-mission-impossible-covid-ward?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292681/how-hong-kong-hospital-engineer-tackled-mission-impossible-covid-ward?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Dec 2024 23:30:09 +0000 Hong Kong has recorded four severe cases of influenza resulting in three deaths over the past week, with health authorities also observing a slight increase in local Covid-19 activity. The Centre for Health Protection on Thursday gave an update on the number of influenza and coronavirus infections for the week spanning December 15 to 21. The data revealed four adult influenza cases had required intensive care unit admission or resulted in death during that period, a drop from the six cases,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292355/hong-kong-logs-3-deaths-4-severe-flu-cases-low-covid-19-activity-uptick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292355/hong-kong-logs-3-deaths-4-severe-flu-cases-low-covid-19-activity-uptick?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Dec 2024 11:52:56 +0000 Winter’s chill may have finally arrived, but far too many Hongkongers are not ready for the flu season because they have put off getting Covid-19 vaccinations. A new survey found 90 per cent of those at high risk of severe illness have not had jabs in over a year. Worryingly, two-thirds of those surveyed did not think they needed further shots, according to the Covid-19 Public Health Concern Group. The new organisation comprising eight healthcare experts issued its findings on December 8 to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3290833/covids-deadly-risk-has-not-gone-away-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3290833/covids-deadly-risk-has-not-gone-away-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Dec 2024 21:15:07 +0000 The chief executive’s annual duty visit to Beijing may sound like a ritual chore, highlighted by a report to President Xi Jinping and other state leaders. It has long since become much more than that, reflecting defining times in the city, from the healing of social unrest, to fighting a pandemic, to landmark political and security reforms to the gathering pace of cross-border integration. That is not all that sets the third duty visit of John Lee Ka-chiu’s leadership of the city apart. It also... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3290765/xi-puts-faith-lee-deliver-hong-kong-economic-development-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3290765/xi-puts-faith-lee-deliver-hong-kong-economic-development-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2024 22:30:07 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft About 90 per cent of Hongkongers at high risk of severe illness from Covid-19 received their last vaccination more than a year ago, a newly formed concern group has found, as it urged residents to get inoculated against the disease before the winter flu season. The Covid-19 Public Health Concern Group also said on Sunday that two-thirds of those it surveyed did not think they needed to receive further doses, adding the findings highlighted the need for more health education among the public. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3289865/about-90-vulnerable-hongkongers-are-more-year-last-covid-19-vaccination?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3289865/about-90-vulnerable-hongkongers-are-more-year-last-covid-19-vaccination?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Dec 2024 08:09:49 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Hong Kong’s hotel industry is likely to face more headwinds next year, as a new lodging tax and heightened geopolitical tensions are among “worrying” issues that could further erode the city’s appeal as a tourist destination, analysts said. The government will impose a 3 per cent tax on hotel guests from January 1, while president-elect Donald Trump will occupy the White House next month to usher in another rocky period for US-China trade and tourism. The city’s reliance on Chinese tourists has... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3289864/hong-kong-hoteliers-brace-worrying-trends-lodging-tax-us-trade-war-dent-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3289864/hong-kong-hoteliers-brace-worrying-trends-lodging-tax-us-trade-war-dent-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Dec 2024 08:03:15 +0000 Hong Kong has long been aware of its potential to be a widely recognised medical hub, largely on the strength of an internationally respected healthcare system. But the focus, rightly, has remained on a local population heavily dependent on a public health sector. Medical tourism has never really got off the ground. Meanwhile, the city has remained dependent on overseas testing regimes for assurance of the safety and efficacy of new drugs and vaccines before approval by regulators. A recent... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3289406/hong-kong-drug-trials-institute-healthy-step-forward?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3289406/hong-kong-drug-trials-institute-healthy-step-forward?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 22:15:14 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Hong Kong residents’ willingness in taking the latest Covid-19 vaccine is lower than in Singapore, but higher compared with other Asian markets, according to a new survey by US pharmaceutical giant Moderna, which called on vulnerable groups to get inoculated. Moderna found 52 per cent of Hong Kong respondents said they were willing to get the updated vaccine when it becomes available, while 58 per cent of those surveyed in Singapore were inclined to take the latest jab, according to the findings... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3289367/hong-kong-residents-reticent-get-latest-covid-19-jab-moderna-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3289367/hong-kong-residents-reticent-get-latest-covid-19-jab-moderna-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Dec 2024 12:00:14 +0000 A technology developed by Hong Kong that uses sewage monitoring to detect Covid-19 could be deployed to track other diseases such as flu and dengue fever, researchers have found, with the method already adopted by about 100 cities in mainland China. Researchers from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), who developed the technology during the coronavirus pandemic, said sewage contained far more significant information than the mere flow of waste. “Sewage is not only a flow of waste, but also flow... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3288255/hong-kong-research-using-sewage-detect-covid-19-could-track-other-diseases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3288255/hong-kong-research-using-sewage-detect-covid-19-could-track-other-diseases?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2024 02:00:16 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways and its budget unit, HK Express, will restore passenger flight capacity to 100 per cent of pre-pandemic levels by January, the company has said ahead of the city’s three-runway system launching this week. Cathay Pacific, the group’s premium carrier, originally said its recovery would not be possible until the first quarter of 2025. Hong Kong International Airport’s HK$141.5 billion (US$18 billion) three-runway system will debut on Thursday and will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3288207/hong-kongs-cathay-set-return-100-passenger-flight-capacity-january?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3288207/hong-kongs-cathay-set-return-100-passenger-flight-capacity-january?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:40:22 +0000 Right after Dr Owen Tsang Tak-yin finished his training in infectious diseases, he suddenly found himself on the front lines of Hong Kong’s 2003 Sars outbreak, a time he describes as being lonely and stressful. Tsang, now the medical director of the Hospital Authority Infectious Disease Centre in Hong Kong, recalled that at the start of the three-month outbreak, the world had little knowledge of Sars, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, and limited medical supplies on hand. “We could not eat... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3286960/hong-kong-infectious-disease-hero-looks-back-epidemics-pandemic-and-career-lessons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3286960/hong-kong-infectious-disease-hero-looks-back-epidemics-pandemic-and-career-lessons?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2024 02:00:31 +0000 Since Covid-19 travel and quarantine restrictions were lifted in Hong Kong in early 2023, visitors from traditional medium- and long-haul tourist markets – Australasia, North America and Japan, in particular – have largely given Hong Kong a miss. While an interlocking series of understandable-yet-unfortunate overseas perceptions and local realities are partially responsible, the simple truth remains; despite various “relaunch” campaigns, visitor numbers from these places have not recovered to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3286245/what-actually-matters-hong-kongs-push-muslim-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3286245/what-actually-matters-hong-kongs-push-muslim-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Nov 2024 09:00:12 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The English competency of Hong Kong’s Form Three students has dropped to its lowest level in nearly two decades, with education sector leaders attributing the fall to learning challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic. Proficiency in Chinese, English and maths among Primary Three pupils also fell to their worst levels in about 20 years. The results from the Territory-wide System Assessment, announced by the Education Bureau on Monday, also prompted an academic to call for urgent efforts to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3285163/annual-tests-find-secondary-pupils-english-abilities-fall-record-low-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3285163/annual-tests-find-secondary-pupils-english-abilities-fall-record-low-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Nov 2024 13:34:54 +0000 With the coronavirus pandemic fading from public memory, attention has shifted to protection against seasonal influenza. The virus threat is very real, whether it be Covid-19 or flu, so vaccinations are always advisable. The fact that infants in robust health may still develop severe complications from Covid infections should prompt parents and children to come forward. Last weekend, a 10-month-old girl was left fighting for her life after contracting the virus. She developed a fever, runny... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3284895/covid-case-sends-jabs-reminder-hong-kong-parents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3284895/covid-case-sends-jabs-reminder-hong-kong-parents?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Nov 2024 22:15:06 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung Young children with good past health can still develop severe cases of Covid-19 due to having weaker immune systems than most adults, medical experts have warned, as a coronavirus infection left an infant girl in a serious condition. The experts on Tuesday also urged parents to get their children vaccinated against the virus. The Hospital Authority said the 10-month-old girl’s condition had improved from critical to serious, after health officials a day earlier revealed she had a Covid-19... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3284348/why-are-healthy-hong-kong-infants-still-risk-severe-covid-infections?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3284348/why-are-healthy-hong-kong-infants-still-risk-severe-covid-infections?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:30:08 +0000