Coronavirus: outbreaks at Hong Kong public hospitals grow, as John Lee warns quarter of healthcare resources could be used up by end of the month
- Chief Executive John Lee says more 1,000 infected residents are being treated in public hospitals, affecting patients with other medical needs
- Three hospitals report rise in infections; outbreak started when a patient at Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital tested positive and was transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital
Coronavirus outbreaks at two public hospitals in Hong Kong expanded on Monday, as the city leader warned that a quarter of healthcare resources would be devoted to caring for infected patients by the end of this month given the recent surge in infections.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu revealed that more than 1,000 infected residents were being treated in public hospitals, affecting patients with other medical needs, and he pledged to use more precise methods to identify cases to minimise transmission.
“That’s why I have repeatedly suggested that Hong Kong cannot lie flat,” he said, borrowing a mainland Chinese phrase that denotes doing nothing. “We are facing different situations compared to other areas. Residents are living in densely populated areas and vaccination rates of our elderly and children are still not high. These all put stress on our healthcare system.”
Hong Kong on Monday logged 3,436 coronavirus infections, including 254 imported ones, and three related deaths. The city’s overall Covid-19 tally stands at 1,297,518 cases, with 9,440 fatalities tied to the virus.
An outbreak at Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital grew, with three more female patients aged between 85 and 95 infected. Thirteen patients and five staff have so far contracted the virus.
Three more employees, including two nurses and a phlebotomist, were infected at North District Hospital, bringing the total number of infections there to four patients and six staff.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Sunday reported three more infected employees in its orthopaedic ward, taking the total number of cases there to six patients and three workers.