Coronavirus: Hong Kong government scrambles to buy more masks after revealing it only has 12 million left
- Finance minister says government has ordered 48 million more
- Government approached 400 suppliers in about 20 countries in bid to source more masks
The Hong Kong government is scrambling to buy more surgical masks as it revealed it only has 12 million left, and the city’s public hospitals only have a month’s supply remaining as the battle against the deadly coronavirus outbreak continues.
An official from the Hospital Authority said global supply chain interruptions and a shortage of raw materials for protective gear had led to problems restocking.
Meanwhile, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury James Lau revealed the government’s supply included 3 million masks it purchased directly, outside of the usual tendering process.
Priority for the masks would be given to health workers, frontline personnel who provided services to the public, and members of the public and staff in quarantine centres.
Lau said his department had contacted more than 400 suppliers in about 20 countries and ordered another 48 million masks, of which 3 million had already been delivered.