HKU in the news (Jun 19-Jul 13)

Jul 13 HKU Dean of Medicine warns coronavirus is becoming more infectious after DNA mutation, as the number of people expected to be infected by each case has increased from 2.5 to 3 in March to 4 recently  (Professor Gabriel Leung) (link)

Jul 13 HKU virologist thinks the possibility of COVID-19 infections through blood transfusions is low, as COVID-19 causes short-period viremia and the circulating strain of coronavirus in Hong Kong may be from Europe or the US, and entered Hong Kong due to lapses in border procedures (Professor Jin Dongyan) (link)

Jul 13 HKU-Shenzhen Hospital Chief Executive thinks daily testing in Hong Kong should increase to 20,000 per day to match China’s countrywide standard which is doing 3.78 millions testing per day(Professor Lo Chung-mau) (link)

Jul 13 HKU Professor and public health scientists jointly publish a study on COVID-19’s stability in different environment and its time of staying alive on different surfaces, concluding COVID-19 can stay on cellphones up to 9 days(Professor Leo Poon) (link)

Jul 13 HKU microbiologist Dr Ho Pak-leung urges government to make masks mandatory by law and a possible penalty of HK$2,000 if not wearing masks properly (Professor Ho Pak-leung) (link)

Jul 12 HKU dismisses allegations from Yan Limeng, former employee of school of public health, that Beijing covered up outbreak and the university had failed to act on her findings in late December of human-to-human transmission (link)

Jul 2 HKU microbiologist Dr Ho Pak-leung thinks the new case at Mei Tin Estate reveals that there may be loopholes in self quarantine at home for people coming back to Hong Kong from overseas (Professor Ho Pak-leung) (link)

Jun 24 HKU microbiologist Dr Ho Pak-leung suggests Hong Kong should investigate the possibility of using testing agents from mainland in order to lower the cost (Professor Ho Pak-leung) (link)