HONG KONG, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong on Saturday activated the emergency level, the highest response level, for the new coronavirus pneumonia after more confirmed cases were reported.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam announced the decision to raise the level from serious to emergency in the latest effort to prevent the spread of the disease, at a press conference after a meeting with experts.

There have been five confirmed cases of the pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus by Saturday in Hong Kong.