HK hospitals overwhelmed as infections hit new daily record

HONG KONG • The authorities in Hong Kong reported a record number of new daily Covid-19 infections yesterday and China said it would fully support the city with its "dynamic zero" coronavirus strategy, as officials struggle to control a deepening outbreak.

Hong Kong's Chief Secretary John Lee, Health Secretary Sophia Chan and Security Chief Chris Tang will meet Chinese officials in neighbouring Shenzhen today to discuss support measures, the government said in a statement.

The meeting comes as Hong Kong's pursuit of zero Covid-19 infections has stretched hospital and quarantine facilities nearly to their limit, raising the near-term prospect of changes to admissions and isolation policies.

New daily cases rose to at least 1,325 yesterday, health authorities said. "Our healthcare system is overloaded, it's really beyond capacity," said Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, a senior health official.

She said there were separately at least 1,500 preliminary positive cases. Hospital beds for Covid-19 patients in the global financial hub are already at 90 per cent occupancy, data from the city's Hospital Authority shows, while isolation facilities were also nearing their maximum.

The Chinese government will help improve Hong Kong's testing capability and set up another quarantine facility, the South China Morning Post reported, citing a Beijing-based source. Beijing is also preparing to send thousands of medical and lab workers and millions of test kits to Hong Kong, with the daily coronavirus screening capacity to be increased from 100,000 tests to 300,000 tests.

Hong Kong has seen a 10-fold rise in cases since Feb 1 and medical experts warn there could be 28,000 daily infections by the end of March, with the unvaccinated elderly a particular worry.

In total, the city has recorded more than 16,000 infections and 216 deaths, still far lower than other similar major cities.

Despite only a few Covid-19 patients being in critical condition, some hospitals are already full, mostly with people suffering little more than a sore throat.

Medical experts are also worried about an expected surge of infections that could dramatically increase severe infections, especially among the largely unvaccinated elderly. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to test every day, including the elderly and children, queueing for hours outside testing centres and raising the risk of infection.

Hong Kong's stringent curbs have turned it into one of the world's most isolated major cities. With flights down 90 per cent and hardly anyone allowed to transit, Hong Kong yesterday extended a ban on flights from eight countries, including the US and Britain, and added Nepal to the list.

The Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said it was coordinating with the Guangdong government to ensure the supply of vegetables, fresh food and other necessities for Hong Kong. The city saw a run on vegetables this week after several cross-border truck drivers, who bring in goods from the mainland, tested positive for Covid-19.

In 2020, China sent 600 people to operate lab facilities and tested nearly two million of the city's 7.5 million residents.

REUTERS