Impact of Coronavirus in Mainland China and Hong Kong
The Universal Postal Union has provided the following messages from the posts of mainland China (China Post) and Hong Kong (Hongkong Post) regarding steps they are taking to limit the spread of the coronavirus and the impact on delivery of mail.
See below for the two messages.
Re: Mainland China
Emergency Information System Message
Message n° 10/2020
28 January 2020 à 17h30(CET)
The designated operator of China (People’s Rep.), China Post, asks us to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that, in order to prevent the risk of further transmission and spreading of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), China Post has been instructed by the Chinese government to disinfect all mails destined to or transiting via Wuhan at its processing centre.
For international mails (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) destined for Hubei Province (postcodes 430000–449999), China Post will contact the addressee by telephone before delivery to ask about their delivery preferences. The mail can either be temporarily stored at the postal outlet, or made available for pick-up from the outlet, or delivered to a smart parcel locker, or delivered by other non-face-to-face methods. These steps will result in delays to international inbound mail processing and delivery, and it will not be possible to provide written proof of delivery in some cases.
Delivery methods for international inbound mails are thus agreed by the recipient before delivery, and China Post kindly requests the assistance of other Union member countries and their designated operators in explaining the special circumstances to senders.
China Post thanks all Union member countries and their designated operators for their understanding; it will inform them via EmIS once the situation is back to normal.
Re: Hong Kong
Emergency Information System Message
Message n° 14/2020
30 January / 2020 à 14h10 (CET)
The designated operator of Hong Kong, Hongkong Post, asks us to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that, owing to measures taken by the Hong Kong government since Tuesday, 28 January 2020 to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), all inbound and outbound mail processing (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) are subject to disruption. The impact is expected to last for a few days.
Hongkong Post thanks all Union member countries and their designated operators for their understanding. It will update them via EmIS once the situation has returned to normal.