Virus Diary: In Hong Kong lockdown, watched by a wristband

Zen Soo works on her laptop while wearing a government-mandated quarantine wristband in Hong Kong, April 17. — Vincent Yu/AP

HONG KONG: It took only a few seconds. Shortly after I stepped off a flight from Singapore, an official at the Hong Kong immigration counter gestured for me to extend my arm, then strapped a bulky plastic box to my wrist.

And just like that, I had a new companion for the next 14 days of self-isolation – a government quarantine tracker.