Hong Kong to reduce transport services with mainland

HONG KONG - Hong Kong will significantly reduce transport services between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland to contain the spread of new coronavirus.

Flights from the mainland to Hong Kong will be halved, and the high-speed railway will be suspended, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam said Tuesday afternoon at a press conference.

Multiple ferry routes will be suspended and the number of cross-border buses will be reduced. Starting from Thursday, several ports of entry will stop operation, including passenger services at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, Hung Hom Station, Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To.

Lam also said the central authorities have approved 49 mainland cities stopping issuing new endorsements under the Individual Visit Scheme. The number of visitors under the scheme accounted for about half of mainland visitors entering Hong Kong.

There have been eight confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus reported in Hong Kong.

The new virus was first detected in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. Chinese health authorities announced on Tuesday that 4,515 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus had been reported in 30 provincial-level regions by the end of Monday.

China is mobilizing a nationwide response to prevent and control the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Many unprecedented moves, including extending the Spring Festival holiday, postponing the spring semesters of schools and universities, and adopting transport restrictions in various areas, have been taken.

Nearly 6,000 medical workers from across the country are being sent to Hubei Province in the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak, a health official said Tuesday.