(Yicai Global) Jan. 27 -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region started today to limit the entry of certain travelers in response to an escalating novel coronavirus outbreak.

Residents of China's Hubei province and travelers who have been to the province during the past 14 days will be denied entry to Hong Kong from today till further notice, the HKSAR government said in a statement released yesterday.

Hong Kong residents will be exempted from the restriction.

The decision aims to reduce the chance of people infected with the new virus to enter Hong Kong, according to the statement.

Another case of pneumonia caused by novel coronavirus was reported yesterday in Hong Kong, bringing the total number of such cases to six.

Hong Kong on January 25 raised the government response to the new coronavirus pneumonia to the highest level with a series of measures from indefinitely suspending trains and flights to and from Wuhan, capital of Hubei province, which is at the center of the epidemic outbreak, to schools remaining closed for a longer period.