Ends/Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Measures to prevent the importation of viruses into Hong Kong
Following is a question by Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (June 3):
Question:
According to a report from the World Health Organization, a hantavirus infection cluster was found on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean in April this year. In mid-May this year, an epidemic of Ebola disease also broke out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has assessed the health risks posed by hantavirus and Ebola virus to Hong Kong;
(2) of the average daily number of visitors to Hong Kong from countries or regions affected by hantavirus and Ebola virus outbreaks since April this year; whether the Government will co-operate with the relevant Mainland authorities to strengthen joint prevention and control measures, so as to prevent the importation of overseas epidemics into our country; if so, of the details;
(3) whether it is aware of any contingency measures formulated by the Hospital Authority in the event of imported cases; if so, of the details; and
(4) of the measures put in place by the Government to remind the public to remain vigilant at all times and take proper protective measures?
Reply:
President,
Ebola disease is a severe acute viral illness. Six species of the Orthoebolaviruses have been identified so far, including the Bundibugyo virus involved in the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. Ebola disease is transmitted to humans through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other body fluids of infected animals. Human-to-human transmission resulting from direct contact (through wound or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids of infected persons, and indirect contact with environment contaminated with such body fluids. According to information from the World Health Organization (WHO), the case fatality rates from past Ebola disease outbreaks ranged between 25 per cent and 90 per cent, with an average of around 50 per cent.
Hantaviruses are a group of viruses belonging to the family Hantaviridae, within the order Bunyavirales that are mainly found in rodents (such as rats and voles). There are two main groups of disease in human that are caused by hantaviruses, namely Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). The case fatality rate of HFRS is lower which ranges from less than one per cent to 15 per cent; while HPS has a higher case fatality rate which can reach about 40 per cent. Hantaviruses are primarily transmitted through direct contact with the faeces, saliva or urine of infected rodents or by inhaling the virus in aerosolised particles of their excreta. Other routes of infection include being bitten or scratched by infected rodents. Human-to-human transmission is relatively rare. The Andes virus involved in the cruise ship outbreak is currently the only type of hantavirus confirmed to have limited human-to-human transmission.
In response to Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong's question, the reply after consultation with the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA) is as follows:
(1) According to the WHO, the risk of the outbreak of Ebola disease is very high at the national level in the DRC, high at the regional level and in Uganda, and low at the global level. In Hong Kong, viral haemorrhagic fever (including Ebola disease) is a statutorily notifiable infectious disease. Suspected or confirmed cases of Ebola disease must be immediately reported to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the DH for epidemiological investigation, control and surveillance. So far, no confirmed cases of Ebola disease have ever been recorded in Hong Kong. At present, the risk of Ebola disease is primarily confined to outbreak areas in Africa including the DRC and Uganda. The CHP assesses that the immediate public health impact to Hong Kong is currently low.
As for hantaviruses, based on the WHO's current assessment, the risk to global health posed by the incident of hantavirus infection on the cruise ship is low. In addition, according to the information provided by the WHO and the relevant health authorities, it has been confirmed that there were no Hong Kong residents on the cruise ship concerned. Hantavirus infection is a statutorily notifiable disease in Hong Kong since 2008. Since then, 14 cases of hantavirus infection have been recorded in Hong Kong (including 12 local cases), all belonged to HFRS cases which has a relatively lower mortality rate. Over the past five years, Hong Kong recorded zero to two cases of hantavirus infection annually on average, with no hantavirus infection cases recorded in 2025 and this year (as of end May). The CHP assesses that the public health risk of hantavirus infection to Hong Kong is low.
(2) In response to the WHO's declaration that the epidemic of Ebola disease in the DRC and Uganda constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17 this year, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government announced on the same day the activation of the Alert Response Level in accordance with the Preparedness and Response Plan for Ebola Virus Disease (Response Plan). In accordance with the Response Plan, the CHP collaborates closely with various stakeholders to implement a series of prevention and control measures to guard against imported cases and safeguard public health. Based on public health considerations, the HKSAR Government has also decided to issue Red Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for the DRC on May 21 and urged Hong Kong residents to avoid non-essential travel there.
Although there are no direct flights between the DRC, Uganda, and Hong Kong, the CHP has consulted the industry and understand that travellers arriving from these regions generally transit through Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. While the immediate public health impact to Hong Kong is currently low, the CHP has implemented a series of prevention and control measures against imported cases, including:
(i) Strengthening health screenings for passengers arriving on relevant flights from Africa at the airport, including arranging Port Health Division officers to conduct temperature checks at the relevant flight gates, conducting health screenings for passengers exhibiting symptoms;
(ii) Displaying signages and broadcasting announcements in the airport arrival area and through airlines to urge passengers who have visited the DRC or Uganda within the past 21 days to proactively declare their travel history to the on-site staff of the DH for further health assessment;
(iii) If an inbound traveller exhibits relevant symptoms and is assessed as a suspected case by the Port Health Division officers, arrangements will be made immediately to transfer the individual to the Hospital Authority Infectious Disease Centre (HAIDC) for isolation and treatment;
(iv) Strengthening public awareness and health education efforts regarding Ebola disease at all boundary control points, including broadcasting announcements and posting posters to alert travellers; and
(v) Providing the Airport Authority Hong Kong and airlines with the latest information on the virus, and urging airlines to remind their flight crews to strictly enforce established prevention and control measures if they identify suspected cases on their flights.
From May 17 to 24 this year, 19 travellers who declared having visited the relevant regions underwent health assessments by the CHP. No suspected cases of Ebola disease were identified. The CHP staff also provided these individuals with health information on the spot, reminding them to notify the CHP and seek medical advice at accident and emergency departments nearby immediately if they develop symptoms within 21 days of arrival in Hong Kong. The CHP also performs medical surveillance on these travellers during their stay in Hong Kong.
The CHP has also proactively sought further information of the epidemic from the WHO, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and the health authorities of the DRC and Uganda. In addition, the CHP has sent letters to all doctors and hospitals in Hong Kong twice to remind them to remain highly vigilant. Any person who has travelled to affected areas (including the DRC and Uganda) within the past 21 days and exhibits relevant symptoms must be managed as a suspected case and reported immediately to the CHP via the 24-hour hotline provided in the letter.
Relevant government departments are fully prepared and will closely monitor the development of the Ebola epidemic, with a view to adjusting the prevention and control strategies as necessary.
To prevent hantavirus infection, the CHP will continue to conduct health screenings for inbound travellers at all boundary control points and perform health assessments on individuals with a fever. Relevant individuals will be referred to hospitals for medical examinations as needed. The Port Health Division has contacted the Airport Authority Hong Kong as well as relevant organisations and operators in the travel industry to provide them with information on the development of the hantavirus outbreak, preventive measures, guidelines and relevant health information, with a view to strengthening health education for travellers and port staff. Furthermore, the CHP has provided information on rodent control to relevant parties and reminded them to implement rodent control measures and strengthen environmental hygiene monitoring at all boundary control points. The CHP has also sent letters to all doctors and hospitals in Hong Kong to remind them to remain highly vigilant for hantavirus infection and to report suspected cases to the CHP.
The CHP will continue to maintain close liaison with the WHO, the Chinese Mainland, and other relevant health authorities, closely monitor the development of the Ebola disease outbreak and hantavirus infection cluster, and adjust its prevention and control strategies as necessary.
In accordance with the joint prevention and control mechanism, the CHP has also exchanged the disease prevention and control measures for Ebola disease and latest epidemic information with the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Mainland Customs, and the Health Bureau of Macao to jointly prevent the importation of the diseases.
(3) In light of the recent development of hantavirus infection and Ebola disease outbreaks, the HA has convened special meetings with the CHP to discuss risk assessment and preparedness of public hospitals.
The HA will continue to adopt the strategy of "early detection, early isolation, early notification". The HA has reminded frontline healthcare workers to strengthen the screening for patients by gathering relevant information such as symptoms, contact history, occupation, and travel history, particularly in cases where patients exhibit relevant symptoms as well as whether the person has taken the cruise ship concerned or travelled to the DRC or Uganda, or has had close contact with relevant symptomatic persons or confirmed cases.
The HA has also reminded frontline healthcare workers to remain vigilant and to strictly implement all infection control measures, including airborne, droplet, and contact precautions. Public hospitals currently have sufficient isolation facilities to receive patients requiring isolation, and there is ample stock of personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect frontline healthcare workers. The HA regularly updates the clinical guidelines for frontline healthcare workers to refer to and will further strengthen training to ensure that frontline healthcare workers are familiar with the relevant procedures, including the donning and doffing of PPE, to reduce the risk of infection and safeguard the public.
In addition, the HA has formulated a preparedness plan for Ebola disease, and has activated the Alert Response Level. If a suspected case is identified, the patient will be immediately transferred to the HAIDC at Princess Margaret Hospital for isolation and treatment. The DH will be notified as soon as possible. The patient's clinical specimens will be sent to the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch for further testing. All suspected and confirmed Ebola disease cases will be admitted to the airborne infection isolation rooms of the HAIDC.
In addition, the DH will follow established mechanisms to trace close contacts of confirmed or suspected cases. It has also inspected and ensured that the quarantine facilities (currently located at Penny's Bay) are ready for use if necessary.
The HA will continue to work closely with the CHP to monitor the development of the situation and review the relevant measures in a timely manner.
(4) Based on public health considerations, the HKSAR Government issued Red OTA for the DRC on May 21. As the current risk of infection is primarily concentrated in affected areas overseas, the CHP urged Hong Kong citizens to exercise caution and avoid non-essential travel to countries and regions affected by Ebola disease. Those already in the affected areas should maintain good personal and environmental hygiene at all times, avoid contact with sick persons or animals, and ensure that food is thoroughly cooked before consumption. Upon returning to Hong Kong, residents should proactively declare their travel history to Port Health Division officers for further health assessment. Should they develop any suspicious symptoms after returning to Hong Kong, they should seek medical attention immediately and inform their doctors of their travel history.
The CHP will continue to enhance risk communication and health education for the public via various online and offline channels, including press releases, social media posts and media interviews. In addition, the CHP has met with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) serving the African community to convey relevant health information to Africans living in Hong Kong via these NGOs. The CHP has also distributed health promotional materials at venues where more Africans gather.
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202606/03/P2026060300294.htm
