“Recently, there was a sharp increase in the number of people who needed to be quarantined; and some people’s release from the camp was delayed because they did not finish their tests. We apologise for the inconvenience caused,” she said.

“The health department and Civil Aid Service increased manpower, the Fire Services Department also deployed some officers to help.”

‘Quarantine isn’t punishment’: angry voices from Hong Kong’s Penny’s Bay

Kicking off the hour-long questioning session, lawmaker Edward Leung Hei, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), asked: “How will the government improve the centre’s infection prevention measures and management, so as to prevent its staff from being infected and spreading the virus to the community?”

But Chan would only say that the government was “very concerned” about the confirmed cases involving camp staff, and would continue to raise its employees’ awareness about infection risks.

One security guard was found to be infected this month after posting a notice on the door of a quarantine unit, and another tested positive after having a meal with the first.

Fellow DAB member Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan also complained about the living conditions in the camp, saying they were so poor that quarantine had become a matter of survival.

“The food quality is bad, and residents complained that the telephone hotline was not responsive, but the government insisted that it’s operating well,” he said. “The camp is now managed by the Civil Aid Service; can it be managed by the high-level cross-departmental group instead?”

Chan said that manpower had been increased and that experienced staff were responsible for ensuring faster and more accurate data input and making better use of technology at the facility.

“We’ve been trying to identify the bottlenecks in services, and have already improved their quality … The quarantine period for close contacts is also shortened now,” Chan said.

“We also need to make better use of information technology to improve efficiency … The Civil Aid Service is trying to identify new solutions that can be applied to the camp.”

Chan insisted that government employees at the camp had stepped up communication with quarantined residents through an additional hotline, SMS, email and messaging services.

A practical guide for your week-long stay in ‘The Suites at Penny’s Bay’

Some legislators sent to Penny’s Bay were allowed to leave early after they were found not to have been exposed, but four remain interned there.

One of the lawmakers who were released early, Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, had complained about the management of the Penny’s Bay centre, and urged Sophia Chan to explain.

Ho said on Wednesday that one way to improve efficiency at the camp was to allow residents to travel to the facility by themselves, rather than being brought there by the government. Chan responded that authorities were reviewing the camp’s management, but did not comment on whether Ho’s suggestion was feasible.

Meanwhile, lawmakers approved a plan on Wednesday to extend video conferencing arrangements to all council meetings held throughout the year.

House Committee chairwoman Starry Lee Wai-king said that under the new plan, all 90 lawmakers could meet virtually if the coronavirus situation became too serious.

The motion will expire on December 31.

Since last year, Legco’s panel and committee meetings were allowed to be held virtually.