Panic-stricken residents have emptied shelves in major supermarkets in Hong Kong...
HONG KONG - Panic-stricken residents have emptied shelves in major supermarkets in Hong Kong, stockpiling meat, rice, cleaning products and soap as fears escalate over a coronavirus epidemic on the mainland.
The new coronavirus originated in central China’s Hubei province and has so far killed 361 people in the country. “Everybody is really worried. I think everyone is afraid of what is going to happen in the next few days. Prices are also going to rise,” said Cindy, a retail executive who was buying dry food and soap.
Around 90 percent of the city’s total food supply is imported, with the bulk coming from the mainland, according to official data. Hong Kong’s economy was badly hit during the SARS epidemic with tourism and services sectors the most affected as visitor arrivals tumbled and unemployment spiraled. At local wet markets, which are typically packed with local residents, many stalls were shuttered as residents opted to shop in air-conditioned grocery stores, believing they were safer.
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