Hong Kong Declares Coronavirus Emergency, Two-Week School Closure

The outbreak of coronavirus was declared an emergency by the Hong Kong government, with school holidays extended.

Passengers wear masks to prevent an outbreak of coronavirus in a subway station, in Hong Kong.

(Photo: AP/Kin Cheung)  

Hong Kong has declared the outbreak of coronavirus an emergency and will close primary and secondary schools for two more weeks after the Lunar New Year holiday. City leader Carrie Lam also announced on Saturday, 25 January, that trains and flights from the city of Wuhan would be blocked.

The outbreak began in Wuhan in central China and has spread to the rest of the country and overseas as people travel for holiday.

Hong Kong has confirmed five cases of the new illness. Most schools are off next week, and Lam said they would not re-open until 17 February.

The local South China Morning Post newspaper reported that a marathon in Hong Kong, that was expected to draw 70,000 participants on 9 February, was canceled.

(This article was published in an arrangement with the Associated Press.)