20 verbal warnings issued at the Wan Tsai West, Sai Kung campsite for suspected quarantine violations

UPDATE: AFCD announce that the country park barbecue sites and campsites will continue to be closed until 23 April 11:59 pm.

The AFCD closed all barbecue and camping sites in the country parks from 6:00 pm on 28 March until 6:00 pm on 11 April. However, when some people passed through the Wan Tsai West campsite in Sai Kung earlier this week, they  saw many tents still standing. They suspected that someone was camping there illegally.

According to the AFCD website, no one is allowed to conduct barbecue and camping activities in the country park during the closure of the barbecue site and camping facilities. However, when a hiker passed through the  Wan Tsai camp on the afternoon of 30 March, and again on 4 April they saw at least five large tents there, although they were not sure if anyone was sleeping in the camp. But they witnessed people entering and leaving the camp, although no one was cooking.

The hiker said that he had heard that these people were long-term street sleepers and had occupied the camps for a long time, but was worried that if someone continued to camp in violation of government regulations for the epidemic, the virus would continue to spread. He said that he had emailed the AFCD on the evening of 30 March. Visitors to the campsite on 6 April reported that  the AFCD started clearing tents away.

A spokesman for the AFCD said that the department had closed the site, and posted notices, as well as placing tape or fences at the entrance and exit. Facilities such as restrooms are not closed and will continue to be open for public use. During the period when the facilities are closed, no one is allowed to conduct camping or barbecue activities in the country park. Otherwise, it will be illegal and the offender may be prosecuted. The spokesman pointed out that the department had sent additional staff to visit the sites and found that some people had entered the closed areas; they immediately issued a warning and asked them to leave. From the closure of the various sites on 28 March to 6 April, the department conducted a total of 1,663 inspections. A total of 20 verbal warnings were issued to people entering the closed areas and they left the site immediately. During the inspection, no person was found illegally camping at the Wan Tsai Campsite.