Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Sunday that the city’s containment measures against COVID-19 are “effective”, considering that the city has recorded fewer than 100 infections — a smaller number than that in some countries.

As of Sunday, the city had recorded 98 infection cases, confirming three more cases — a senior couple living in Sham Shui Po and one more novel coronavirus infection linked to a North Point-based Buddhist worship hall, where the city’s largest cluster of cases have been found. Two more suspected cases linked to another major cluster — a cruise ship docked in Japan — were recorded as well.

The city’s containment measures were based on science and facts 

Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Hong Kong chief executive

Lam said on her social media account that the city’s containment measures were based on science and facts. The fact that Hong Kong recorded fewer confirmed cases of pneumonia infection than South Korea, Japan and Singapore was a result of a joint effort by the community to overcome the specific challenges posed by Hong Kong’s proximity to the mainland and its status as a free and densely populated port, she said.

Lam thanked the front-line medical workers, quarantine officers and the panel of health experts; namely, leading microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung, former World Health Organization officer Keiji Fukuda, Professor Hui Shu-cheong from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Professor Gabriel Matthew Leung from the University of Hong Kong.

In light of the new situations around the globe, the government has strengthened its immigration and quarantine measures to minimize the risk of importation of the pathogen from other places.

Also on Sunday, Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Communicable Disease Branch of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, said at a daily briefing that a 71-year-old woman who helped out at the Fook Wai Ching She in North Point was confirmed to be the 16th patient linked to the worship hall.

On Saturday, the patient, who helped prepare food at the hall, called the government’s hotline after several cases linking to the hall were made public. She was confirmed positive for the coronavirus next day.

She told authorities that she had dined with the 92nd confirmed patient, who had visited the hall earlier.

The couple living in Sham Shui Po was confirmed to be infected with the virus on Sunday. The woman, 76, and man, 79, have diabetes and receive insulin treatments.

The other two suspected cases were two passengers who were on board a luxury cruise ship that was quarantined for more than two weeks at a Japanese port. Serums of the two — a 68-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man — tested positive for the antibody of the virus.

Also, Guangdong authorities have alerted the SAR government that a passenger on board Flight CX250’s business class to Hong Kong on Friday was confirmed infected. The patient then took the ferry 3A109, carrying more than 70 passengers, to the Shekou port of Shenzhen on the same day.

Chuang urged those who took the same flight or ferry as the patient to come forward and contact the Hospital Authority to get tests and medical surveillance.

According to the Hospital Authority, a total of 60 confirmed patients remain hospitalized in 10 public hospitals, with one of them in critical condition and three in serious condition.

Three more patients have been discharged on Sunday, bringing the total discharged number to 36.

In addition, beginning today, Chu Kong Passenger Transport Co, is suspending all ferry service from the Skypier, a ferry pier at Hong Kong International Airport that offers service to Guangdong province, until further notice.

Ferry service from all piers in the Pearl River Delta to the airport will remain operational.

Contact the writers at stushadow@chinadailyhk.com