-
.
- Ελληνικά
The Hong Kong government plans to allocate up to 10.000 hotel rooms for COVID-19 patients as the former British colony faces a rapid rise in coronavirus cases and local media report that from March the government will make diagnostic tests mandatory.
Some reports, citing sources, say the government plans to test up to one million citizens daily from March and that those who do not comply will be fined more than 1,000 euros. The government did not respond to a request for comment.
The number of daily cases has risen more than 60 times since early February and authorities have closed schools, gyms, cinemas and most public places, while many officials have returned to telecommuting.
Hong Kong health authorities today announced 6,116 cases, a new record, and 24 deaths, while more than 16,000 have been recorded since January to date.
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam reiterated her appeal to the 7.5 million citizens to support government efforts to contain the pandemic as many are tired of the world's tightest restrictive measures even as most other major cities adjust to living with the virus.
Her appeal released late last night came as Chinese President Xi Jinping was informing Hong Kong's leadership that its "supreme mission" is to stabilise and control the pandemic.
"With the utmost concern and strong support of President Xi Jinping...the whole society should today join hands to overcome the fifth wave of the epidemic and demonstrate the spirit of Hong Kong to the fullest extent. I am optimistic that through the joint efforts of the government and the hotel sector, at least 10,000 hotel rooms will be available," Lam said.
In an effort to free up beds to be allocated for those who need to be isolated, Lam said she had spoken to local hotel owners and that security chief Chris Tang would oversee the operation of participating hotels.
Hong Kong has adopted the same zero coronavirus outbreak strategy that mainland China has adopted to deal with all waves of the pandemic.
But the ease and speed with which the Omicron variant is spreading has taken authorities by surprise. Hospitals are operating at maximum capacity and often beyond their capabilities, and some covid-19 patients are being treated in makeshift outpatient facilities outside medical centers in the cold and rain.
China has announced that it will help Hong Kong strengthen its diagnostic test procedures, its hospitalization and quarantine capacity, and ensure it has the necessities-from rapid test kits to protective equipment and fresh vegetables.
Hong Kong has registered about 30.000 infections since the start of the pandemic and about 230 deaths, far fewer than other cities of similar magnitude.
However, health experts have warned that the number of daily cases could reach 28.000 by the end of March, pointing also to the low vaccination rate among the elderly.
Source: in.gr
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
