Hong Kong – Hong Kong’s travel industry has been badly hit by swine flu, with people reluctant to fly overseas because of the risk of infection, the territory’s health secretary said Thursday.

Inbound tourism has also been hit since the discovery of Hong Kong’s first confirmed swine-flu case in early May which led to a hotel in the densely-populated city of 7 million being quarantined for a week.

Health Secretary York Chow told reporters after a meeting with travel industry representatives, “The industry has suffered a lot in the last month since worldwide reports of human swine flu.”

However, he added: “Despite widespread infections in more than 40 countries, most of the cases are still relatively mild and treatable. So we think travel activities should continue as normal.

“The only advice I give to the public is if they have any chronic illnesses … they should consider carefully before they travel. Otherwise, all travel and economic activities in Hong Kong should be maintained.”

Three swine flu cases have been confirmed in Hong Kong since the beginning of May, triggering strict anti-virus measures that were criticized by some people as an over-reaction.

The measures were introduced after the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS outbreak, which killed 299 people and infected 1,799 after spreading to Hong Kong from China. (dpa)