07 January 2020 – COVID-19 to be included as a statutorily notifiable infectious disease to enhance surveillance

Type of Intervention: Regulation
Sectors Involved: Local Government
Level of Jurisdiction: Special Administrative Region
Lead People/Agency: The Hong Kong Government

Overview: Government to gazette inclusion of “Severe Respiratory Disease associated with a Novel Infectious Agent” as statutorily notifiable infectious disease under Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance
Full details here: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202001/07/P2020010700603.htm

Type of Justification: Advice of INTERNAL government advisory committee or group
Evidence/Justification: To empower the Department of Health (DH) to effectively handle confirmed or suspected cases if the patients are not co-operative or refuse to, for example, be isolated or quarantined