📡Guardians of Hong Kong
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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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#HealthCrisis
The Diamond Princess, which shipped the 80-year-old man confirmed with the Coronavirus, has 10 more passengers confirmed to be infected by the epidemic. Over 200 passengers are showing symptoms such as fever.

Source: Ming Pao #Feb5
#ChinesePneumonia #GlobalOutbreak
1316 | Latest Report on World Dream Cruise

1. All passengers and crew will not disembark.

2. The Health Department will collect Health Declaration forms from all passengers and have their temperature checked.

3. Over 30 crew members reported that they had symptoms but are currently stable.

4. 3 crew members had fever but has subsided. They will be sent to the public hospital for quarantine.

5. One crew has been tested positive for influenza B.

Source: 612 Reminder #Feb5
#ChinesePneumonia #GlobalOutbreak
#Feb5 #TravelAlert
Taiwan issues Red Warning to China and Yellow Warning to Hong Kong and Macau

Releasing a red warning signal, Taiwan authorities asked their citizens not to go to China. Meanwhile, yellow warning was issued to Hong Kong and Macau. Starting from Feb 6, any person who has travelled to China, Hong Kong and Macau should self-quarantine for 14 days upon arriving in Taiwan.

Source: RTHK
#Taiwan #ChinesePneumonia

David Webb: Carrie Lam refuses to close borders. World may ban HongKongers’ entry
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/16663
#FirstHand #Feb5

Hoi Fung Hong, a dried seafood shop in Sheung Wan gave out 30,000 surgical masks for free during lunch hour, starting from 1pm. The shop attracted more than 1,000 people to wait outside before 1pm. All the masks were given out within an hour.

Their facebook wrote:
—————————————————
"We see a shortage of masks supply in HK, so we have contacted manufacturers from Indonesia to provide us with surgical masks to share with the general public and people in need.

These masks are directly shipped from the factories and not packed individually. Each pack contains 10 masks and each person should only take one."
#PleaseDoNotStock
#WeStandTall
————————————————

On the same day, Hospital Authority Employees Alliance (#HKEA) recorded over 5,000 medical workers on strike, demanding the government to close Hong Kong-China borders completely and ensure adquate supply for protective gears for the public.

#Maskshortage #ChinesePneumonia #CoronavirusOutbreak
#PressConference
HK Government Finally Orders Quarantining People Entering Hong Kong From China

The Hong Kong Government announced new requirement to quarantine any person entering Hong Kong from China for 14 days. The measure will be effective at midnight of Feb 8. The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and the Harbour City Cruise Terminal will be closed.

Despite that, the government insisted to leave the Hong Kong-China borders open amidst public demand and the strike action by medical workers.

According to Carrie Lam on Feb 4, she personally reviewed every official who was going to meet the media. Masks, even being worn by officials, should be removed, said Carrie Lam; however, at the press conference on Feb 5, more than half of the government officials present, including Secretary for Health and Food Prof. Sophia Chan were seen masked.

Source: Stand News; Now News #Feb5
#FaceMask #Quarantine #Borders

Where are the CSI masks - a classic Rashomon case? https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/16679
#HealthCrisis
Over 2,000 desperate shoppers line up overnight for face mask, blaming government's refusal to shutdown Chinese borders


A shop in Kowloon Bay announced on their website a sale of surgical mask on the next day (February 5), which aroused overwhelming response as 2,000 locals started lining up outside the shop immediately in the evening.

In the morning, the crowd covered almost the entire Kowloon Bay Industrial District. Staff and police were involved to maintain order or the crowd. Dazed by the desperate crowd of shoppers, staffs acknowledged that demand in the community was far beyond their expectation. He said that the stock initially planned for two days has been exhausted in just few hours.

A civilian, Mr Lam learnt that he was the 2,200th in the line, but still decided to wait. He said in distress, “this is Hong Kong in year 2020, not 1970, what has brought Hong Kong down to this state?”

Another shopper Ms Chan struck home her comment that the desperation in the community was caused by Carrie Lam’s refusal to lockdown Chinese borders. She cried out in anger, “[w]hat's the point for her (Carrie Lam) to shutdown borders, yet leaving the busiest ones opened”

Source: In Media Hong Kong
#Feb5 #ChinesePneumonia #GlobalOutbreak #Mask
Bipartisan Move to Nominate Hong Kong Protestors for Nobel Peace Prize

Despite a Capitol Hill choked in the miasma of polarization, the CECC has launched a bipartisan and bicameral decision under Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to nominate the pro-democracy movement of Hong Kong for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

The letter to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee praised Hong Kong protestors as having “demonstrated … an unwavering commitment to a free and democratic Hong Kong”, while the protests were “impressively organized and coherent, yet notably leaderless and flexible.” The Commissioners urged the committee to recognize the contributions and sacrifice of Hong Kong protestors to the course of democracy in not just Hong Kong, but also the world.

Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fl) invited activist Nathan Law to attend the State of Union address, calling Law “an inspiration in the fight for freedom and democracy.”

Source: Radio Free Asia, Hong Kong Stand Strong Live #Feb5
#GlobalSupport
#PoliceState
24-year-old arrestee beaten by unknown persons from head to toe in police station with his head wrapped up in bags
Judge: What's the point for telling me?


Over a thousand residents of Mei Foo Sun Cheun protested against the Govern
ment's plan to convert the Heritage Lodge into a quarantine camp on Sunday, which ended with a clash with riot police. Two were arrested for building road blocks, assaulting police officer and disturbing public order.

Defending a 24-year-old clerk, barrister Douglas Kwok Kin-hin attempted to raise a complaint over police brutality during the hearing. Kwok said that his client was beaten by 6-7 unknown person in police station from head to toe, while his head was wrapped up in a plastic bag and a cloth bag. He was also threatened not to make a complaint, saying, “Don’t complain”, “don’t tell your lawyer”, otherwise, “unless you hide away at home in the future, or we will certainly hunt you down.”

But Magistrate Ng Chung-yee refused to listen and asked, “why should I know about it? This is not Independent Police Complaints Council.” Kwok explained that it was important to keep a court record.

Source: In Media Hong Kong
#Feb5 #PoliceBrutality #HKProtest
#Strike
Flight Attendants’ Association calls a strike in support of medical staff, urging government to lockdown all borders with China

The Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Flight Attendants Association appealed to members and the public that a strike doesn’t mean they are clinging to life and fear death, rather it is because they do not want front-line colleagues to bear the great risk of being infected, worrying about work safety everyday.

“Guarding the health of our colleagues, passengers and the people of Hong Kong, the Association, though reluctantly, is calling for a strike, hoping to curb the virus from being transmitted to Hong Kong and to spread the epidemic any further.”

https://www.facebook.com/594642803906393/posts/2702744526429533/

#Feb5 #ChinesePneumonia #GlobalOutbreak #HealthCrisis
China Receives Aid from 21 Countries,
PRC's Spokeperson: China primarily relies on its own power to cope with the epidermic

    
China's Foreign Ministry admits earlier that China is in need of medical supply. After receiving aid from different countries, China's spokeperson Hua Chunying, however, said on Feb 5 that "China primarily relies on its own power to cope with the epidermic".

On Feb 3, China's spokeperson said that despite facemasks donated by Korea and Japan, China "urgently needs medical supply such as medical masks, protective garments and protective goggles".

As at noon on Feb 5, China has received medical supply from 21 countries including Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Germany, Britain and France; however, China's spokewoman told the press that after all "China primarily relies on its own power to cope with the epidermic".

On the one hand, Hua said that China is willing to share information with other nations in an "open, transparent and responsible" manner. On the other hand, Hua by citing WHO secretary-general Tedros Adhanom asked other nations not to "be overreactive" and not to "believe in rumour", in view of the imposition of evacuation plan and restrictions on China.

Sourcs: Liberty Times #Feb5
https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/breakingnews/3059072
Foreign Domestic Workers Abruptly Laid Off,
Labour Department's Guidelines Worsen Discrimination,
Concern Group Urges Hong Kong Government to Close the Borders


Source: Stand News
#Feb5
Foreign Domestic Workers Abruptly Laid Off,
Labour Department's Guidelines Worsen Discrimination,
Concern Group Urges Hong Kong Government to Close the Borders

International Migrants Alliance, IMA (Hong Kong and Macau Branch) held a press conference on February 5 to reveal the plight of foreign domestic workers regarding the current epidemic situation in Hong Kong.

Some foreign domestic workers complained that employers threatened to terminate their contract if they choose to spend their day off outside. There are also employers who demanded the workers to rub alcohol all over their bodies after staying out. Some domestic workers were even sacked abruptly due to the severity of the outbreak.

Foreign domestic worker concern groups believe that an recent request made by the Labor Department of the Hong Kong Government had worsened the discrimination against foreign domestic workers.

The Labour Department asked foreign domestic workers to remain at home during their holidays. According to the group, as many as half of the domestic workers stayed at their emoloyers' home last Sunday, many against their wish.

Eman Villanueva, a representative from the Asian Migrants’ Coordinating Body stated that some employers have printed the Labor Department’s guidelines and posted them at home, demanding their helpers to stay home on their rest day. He pointed out that domestic workers who do not have private rooms have to sit in the living room and they have to cook and clean as usual which basically meant losing their legal rest day.

Villanueva mentioned that 30 Filipino domestic workers were not able to return to their homeland because of the travel ban in the Philippines. In other words, Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong who have lost their job cannot even return to their hometown.

The group urges the Hong Kong government to prohibit people in China from going to Hong Kong. Otherwise, the overseas customs clearance orders against Hong Kong will likely worsen, affecting even more foreign domestic workers.

Source: Stand News

#Feb5 #ChinesePneumonia #Coronavirus #ThePhilippines #DomesticHelpers
Reasons Behind the Government's Refusal to Close the Borders with China:
What if PRC's Hong Kong Liaison Office Director Cannot Enter Hong Kong?


Lawmaker James To cited a high-ranking government official explaining why the Hong Kong government refuses to close the borders with China.

The 'example' given by the informant through a text message is the problem caused to the director of PRC's Hong Kong Liaison Office Luo Huining in event of border lockdown: First, Luo cannot enter Hong Kong after reporting duty or working in China; Second, it is out of "humanitarian cause" to let people to travel to China to take care of their family members in China.

On Feb 5, the HK government announced that from Feb 8, any person entering Hong Kong from China must be quarantined for 14 days. Details of the execution of the measure have yet been released.

Despite public outcry and strike actions, the HK Government still insists to leave the Hong Kong-China borders open.

Source: Apple Daily #Feb5
http://bit.ly/2umSAzZ
#HealthCrisis
Over 2,000 desperate shoppers line up overnight for face mask, blaming government's refusal to shutdown Chinese borders

Source: InMedia #Feb5

Questions Over Police Abuse of Powers as Government-owned CSI masks were Seen Given Away
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/16770

The poor are wearing the same mask for 10 days; NGO criticizes Hong Kong Government for its Indifference
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/16783
The poor are wearing the same mask for 10 days; NGO criticizes Hong Kong Government for its Indifference

Fears of the new Coronavirus infection sparked off a rush to pharmacies for disease preventive products like protective masks and rubbing alcohol in Hong Kong.

In Kowloon Bay, over a thousand residents queued up outdoors for hours overnight only to discover stores have sold out of masks. Most pharmacies had ran out of stock; the rest were sold at unreasonably high prices.

The scramble for commodities has created a shortage of masks among grassroots, as charitable organizations pointed out: Many had already ran out of masks and had to share used masks among family members.

69-year-old Mr. Mok rented a rooftop slum on an old tenement building in Kwai Chong. He told Now News in his diaphilated shack that he got his only mask in the hospital on #Jan30. To reduce the risk of infection, he only went out twice during the period, and minimized his consumption of meat in order to prevent going out as well as to avoid the skyrocketed food prices.

NGO said they could do nothing. In a press conference held by several religious concern groups, an NGO aiming to serve subdivided apartments residents said that many families did not have any masks left.

The groups demanded the government to ensure supply and control the market price. They also criticized the government for its indifference, and implored it to allocate masks from its stock to the impoverished.

Source: Stand News; Now News
#Feb5 #Masks

Questions Over Police Abuse of Powers as Government-owned CSI masks were Seen Given Away
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/16770
#FirstHand #Feb5
Multi-District Lockdowns in Hong Kong for the 5th Day, Despite 0% Positive Rate in Consecutive Lockdowns

The Hong Kong authorities on Friday, Feb 5, 2021 announced two more mandatory lockdowns in Ma On Shan and Yuen Long.

The affected areas are two blocks in Fu Loy Garden on 7 Ma Wang Road in Yuen Long (see photos) and Heng Kong House of Heng On Estate at 1 Hang Kam Street in Ma On Shan.

All residents were required to be tested by 2am.

Since Jan 23, 2021, the Hong Kong government started to impose mandatory lockdowns by citing Chapter #599J of the Regulations on Disease Prevention and Control.

Since Feb 1, the government has been enforcing ambush-style lockdowns in multiple districts every day. Meanwhile, apart from the first two lockdowns, the government has found no positive case in all the operations they conducted since Jan 28.

The positive rates of the first two lockdowns on Jan 23 and Jan 26 are at 0.17% and 0.003% respectively.

#FailedState #PositiveRate
#YuenLongLockdown