This is as the city struggles with a record number COVID-19 cases from who are adhering to China’s “zero tolerance” strategy.
Officials announced that they would change the way they approach hospitalization and isolation and allow some patients to be discharged earlier to ease strain on the city’s healthcare system. This comes after reports that patients were being treated in Sham Shui Po, a working-class area of the city.
On Thursday, Hong Kong recorded 6,116 new coronavirus infection. Anyone in the city with COVID-19 infection must be admitted into a hospital or community isolation center.
The new approach allows people infected with the virus but who present only mild symptoms in hospitals or government-run isolation centers to be permitted to leave within seven days. If they are negative on the seventh day, and if they do not live in high-risk groups such as seniors, pregnant women, and immunosuppressed persons, they will be allowed out.
Health officials say those who don’t meet the criteria for eligibility must either complete the 14-day isolation period, or wait until they are negative.
Hong Kong received health experts from China to assist in the development of its medical facilities and testing capabilities. They were welcomed by Carrie Lam, the leader of Hong Kong, at the Shenzhen land border.
Lam stated that “fighting the pandemics is our greatest task.” We will use every resource and person we can. We will take all necessary measures. Our goal is to ensure that Hong Kong citizens’ lives and health are protected, and to maintain Hong Kong’s stability.
24 deaths have been reported by authorities in the last week. There have been 219 deaths and 16,600 infections in the city.
“In the past few days, there have been a lot of emergencies where we had to accommodate people in tents,” Chuang Shuk-kwan (head of Hong Kong’s Communicable Disease Branch), said during a regular COVID-19 briefing on Thursday.
“In these cases, our medical staff is very unhappy. She said that she was concerned about the care of patients.
The Hospital Authority of the city has asked for medical assistance. They have requested private hospital doctors to treat patients in quarantine units.
Sara Ho, Hospital Authority of Hong Kong, stated that the public hospitals are in “crisis”
She stated that if a lot of patients wait outside and this continues, then there is no way for us to solve the problem by relying solely on our efforts.
Officials appealed to citizens to not go out, or to participate in private gatherings. This is because the city wants to reduce the hospital burden.
After seven COVID-19-positive prisoners were identified, Hong Kong moved infected prisoners to an isolation unit. According to the Correctional Services Department, Thursday’s Sha Tsui facility was set up on Lantau Island for quarantining infected prisoner. The number of such prisoners is expected to increase.
Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, had previously ordered the central government of Hong Kong to provide resources for the stabilization of the outbreak. This included rapid antigen testing and medical expertise.
China has successfully repelled major outbreaks by enforcing its “zero tolerance” policy. This includes quarantining all incoming travelers and total lockdowns. It also involves extensive contact tracing, mass testing, and the isolation of millions of people.
Lam has remained consistent despite Hong Kong’s higher population density, higher incomes, and more service-oriented economy. After finding traces of the virus within the sewage, authorities ordered that the entire Discovery Bay neighborhood in Hong Kong be tested.