- Vincent Fung, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Wuhan, posts candid statements on Facebook while at work in epicentre of coronavirus outbreak
- He says supplies of daily necessities are still normal with slightly raised prices, and assures public his team has been working non-stop
The head of the Hong Kong government's representative office in Wuhan city " the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak " has admitted that bringing back the more than 2,000 locals stuck in Hubei province is a "huge headache" amid the lockdown.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Vincent Fung Hao-yin, director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Wuhan, said many Hongkongers trapped there were eager to return, while others with chronic illnesses required medication.
Fung said he understood that his colleagues in Hong Kong were exploring ways to bring back the stranded, but said it was a challenge because it involved a large group of people scattered over various parts of the province, on top of quarantine concerns.
"It is really a huge headache," Fung wrote, adding that his team was liaising with mainland authorities.
"We have been trying to reach Hong Kong people who sought help via phone, WeChat and email, among other channels, to keep them updated," he added. It was Fung's first social media post since January 26.
"We also need to keep in touch with various departments in Hong Kong, as well as multiple (mainland) city and provincial authorities, to ask them for help … and to deal with some special needs," he said.
He especially thanked staff of the city's immigration and health departments, as well as the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, for trying to send some medication to Wuhan for stranded Hongkongers.
Fung said he and his team had been working non-stop. "What date is today? I am starting to lose count."
Describing the situation in Wuhan, he said streets were mostly deserted, but it was packed in hospitals, while there was still not much issue with obtaining daily supplies.
"Supermarkets and drug stores remain open and supplies are still all right, but prices are a bit higher. People here are mostly stranded in homes, but they are rather united in combating this disaster."
He also laughed off online rumours about the US government leaving behind biological weapons in its consulate in Wuhan after evacuating.
"The consulate and our office are in the same block … If they hid some biological weapons here, we should have already been poisoned and dead."
The post was accompanied by a photo of a cup of noodles, a fruit drink and a bowl of dumplings.
Fung joked he was still a bad cook as he was too busy to brush up on his kitchen skills.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Hong Kong's Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said: "The city's government has attached great importance to the situation of locals in Hubei.
"As of Tuesday morning, we have received a total of about 1,060 requests for help, involving about 2,100 Hong Kong people from more than 30 cities. We understand that they are generally in good health.
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"To provide for their medical needs, the Economic and Trade Office in Wuhan has worked with the Department of Health on the setting up of a health hotline for Hong Kong people there to seek medical advice.
"The office has also provided them with information on online consultation provided by medical institutions in Wuhan, and have liaised closely with the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office branch in Hubei and respective municipalities to provide help to Hongkongers.
"The HKSAR government will, in a prudent and thorough manner, evaluate the practicality of arranging for locals in Hubei to return to Hong Kong."
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