(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong unveiled a plan to deal with infectious diseases after a mysterious pneumonia outbreak in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.
The government classified the response level as “serious” -- the second-highest scale of action in its three-tier system, with the top-most being emergency, according to a statement from the Department of Health. The current classification estimates the immediate health impact on the local population to be moderate.
The public hospitals in Hong Kong have reported eight patients, aged from four to 50, who have been to Wuhan and shown fever and respiratory infection or pneumonia symptoms, according to a statement from the Hospital Authority. The government has decided to step up monitoring of the situation, said Sophia Chan, the city's secretary for food and health.
As of Friday, 44 people have been diagnosed with pneumonia in Wuhan, while the cause of the outbreak remains unknown. Hong Kong authorities said thermal-imaging systems will be deployed as part of increased fever surveillance at boundary check points.
--With assistance from Justin Chin.
To contact the reporter on this story: Annie Lee in Hong Kong at olee42@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Shamim Adam at sadam2@bloomberg.net, Stanley James
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