Shelves left empty as coronavirus panic buying grips Hong Kong

Rumours of toilet paper, food shortages send Hong Kong residents into coronavirus panic buying frenzy.

Empty shelves are left where toilet paper was once stocked at a supermarket in Hong Kong. Picture: AFP

Hong Kong is in a state of coronavirus panic, with vision emerging of supermarkets selling out of toilet paper as nervous citizens wait for chief executive Carrie Lam to detail a new travel ban on visitors from mainland China.

As Hong Kong residents shared pictures of empty shelves in local supermarkets, Ms Lam’s embattled government released a statement just before midnight on Wednesday condemning the “malicious act of spreading rumours” about “shortages of goods such as rice and toilet paper”.

“There are sufficient stocks of staple food including rice and pastas. There is no need for the public to worry,” a government spokesperson said.

Troubling online rumours caused a sudden surge in demand for toilet paper. In two supermarkets in Wan Chai, people are buying bags and bags of them, while the shelves are clearing up soon. Wellcome, one major supermarket, already clarified their supply is OK. pic.twitter.com/NzxVFmEkZf

— Alvin L (@alvinllum) February 5, 2020

The unease in Hong Kong comes as citizens throughout east Asia this morning woke to news of new travel bans. Governments are desperately trying to reduce the spread of coronavirus, which has killed more than 550 people and infected more than 27,000.

There have been 21 confirmed coronavirus cases in Hong Kong, a city of more than 7 million people. In 2003, the similar SARS virus spread from mainland China to Hong Kong and killed 299 people in the city.

In the wake of the #coronavirus outbreak, Hongkongers panic bought tissue and toilet paper on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/E7TbGEZV92

— Hong Kong Free Press (@HongKongFP) February 5, 2020

Hong Kong citizens are now waiting for more details on a new travel ban that will impose a mandatory 14-day quarantine on all travellers from mainland China. The new measures will take effect on Saturday, leaving mainland travellers just two days to arrange plans to evade the quarantine.

“The situation has entered another critical stage … the coming 14 days will be key,” Ms Lam said at a press conference yesterday.

Key details on the new policy — such as where people will be quarantined — will be announced later today.

Hong Kong is running out of.. toilet paper

- like in old Soviet time pic.twitter.com/m26Bx8ZNUm

— Russian Market (@russian_market) February 5, 2020

As the virus has spread, Ms Lam’s government has been under huge pressure from the public and local political opposition voices to further reduce travel from mainland China.

Meanwhile, pictures on social media and in the local media have been widely circulating, showing masked Hong Kongers stocking up on food supplies, toilet paper and hand sanitiser.

The South China Morning Post reported that there were scenes of “panic buying” on Wednesday at supermarkets in the city.

We’ve got a critical toilet paper situation here pic.twitter.com/uugbjYPp1j

— Austin Ramzy (@austinramzy) February 5, 2020

A saleswoman at the Wellcome in Sai Ying Pun, in the western district of the city, said its rice supplies had completely sold out 30 minutes after the store opened on Wednesday morning.

Ms Lam’s government said it had confirmed with major suppliers that the supply of food products remained normal and there was no shortage of food.

“The city is fighting against the disease … and condemns those rumour mongers with evil intentions,” a spokesperson for the Hong Kong government said.