Asia braced for second virus wave from tourists

and in Beijing

HONG Kong yesterday warned of a surge in imported cases carried by travellers returning from overseas amid fears around Asia that success fighting infection may be short lived.

Countries across the region that have had success in stamping out domestic transmission – like Taiwan and South Korea – are bracing for imported infections as travellers arrive from Europe and the United States, the new epicentres of the respiratory disease.

Hong Kong, which has just 273 confirmed cases of coronavirus and four deaths, said the new wave of infections would likely lead to a community outbreak and pile pressure on the city’s already stretched healthcare system.

Some Asian nations, such as Taiwan and Malaysia, have sealed their borders to non-nationals, while most have slapped 14-day home or government quarantine restrictions on all arrivals.

Hong Kong, which has seen a record surge in cases this week, mainly arriving from Europe, has introduced electronic bracelets for disembarking passengers at the airport. The wristband is connected to a phone app that allows the authorities to track the wearer’s location and any quarantine breaches.

South Korea, which has managed to slow the spread of the disease after cases exploded in February, from today at midnight will introduce a compulsory Covid-19 test for anyone entering the country from Europe.

Last week the authorities warned that expats caught ignoring anti-coronavirus directions – including requests to be tested, treated or quarantined – could face deportation or an entry ban.

China first reported imported infections in late February, and has since confirmed nearly 200, many of them Chinese expatriates fleeing coronavirus outbreaks around the world. The country went a third successive day without any new domestic cases yesterday.

Neighbourhood committees and police are now conducting house calls to ensure people now abiding by the rules.

Taiwan, an island of 23million just 81 miles from China, has been widely praised for its tackling of the virus, but last week it saw cases more than double to 135, with most linked to arrivals from Europe and North Africa.

The news has sparked a fresh round of public anxiety.

Tsai Ing-wen, the Taiwanese president, warned on Thursday that the next 14 days would be critical to virus prevention efforts and warned of “heavy fines” for hoarding. The health minister said the main focus would be on avoiding community spread of the disease.

All arriving passengers at Taipei’s main Taoyuan airport have faced hours of queuing to undergo health screening and to ensure compliance with quarantine controls.

The authorities have warned that quarantine violations may result in huge fines and the offender’s name being publicised.

Dirk Pfeiffer, a professor of veterinary epidemiology at Hong Kong’s City University, told The Sunday Telegraph that newly implemented quarantine rules should “reduce the risk to an acceptable level”. self-isolating are

Hong Kong said the new wave of infections would pile pressure on the city’s stretched healthcare system