27th January 2020 – (Hong Kong) As the Wuhan pneumonia continues to plague many cities including Hong Kong, many pharmacies have sold out medical face masks. Hundreds of people queued outside Choi Fung Hong branches this morning which were sold out in minutes. Sources revealed that the pharmacy subsequently restocked and they were selling at higher prices in the afternoon. There is also a particular brand purported to be made in Japan (Brand : 救救マスク) but it’s actually manufactured in Hubei Province. The masks can be ordered from Taobao for HK$6.76 per box. Unscrupulous pharmacies around Hong Kong have been selling these masks at prices between HK$75 to HK$238. According to sources, the masks were manufactured under the licence of a Japanese brand last year and when the contract was terminated, the factory in Hubei continued to make them using inferior materials i.e. recycled cloth under the same brand name.
The quality of the masks is questionable as some medical experts said that improper usage of contaminated masks may cause acne problems because they may contain germs such as Staphylococcus aureus.
Netizens have posted a list of at least 12 pharmacies which are selling the fake Japanese ‘救救マスク’ masks at exorbitant prices. One of them, Tak Wah Pharmacy in Kwai Tsing District was selling the fake Japanese ‘救救マスク’ masks for HK$75 per box during the morning today before increasing the price to HK$128 per box this afternoon. Other Japanese masks are now sold at HK$198 per box.
