Hong Kong public hospitals relax Covid-19 isolation, testing rules following mainland China’s easing of curbs

Infected patients no longer need to be isolated in wards with negative pressure, Hospital Authority says in internal memo

Patients being admitted to hospital only being tested if they show signs of virus under new measures

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Infected patients no longer need to isolate in wards with negative pressure, the Hospital Authority has said. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 1:57pm, 10 Dec 2022Updated: 8:27pm, 10 Dec 2022

Hong Kong’s public hospitals have relaxed their Covid-19 isolation and screening rules for patients after mainland China’s determination that most cases of the Omicron variant had either mild symptoms or none at all.

The Hospital Authority on Friday said in an internal circular it was no longer isolating all Covid-19 patients in negative pressure wards.

The circular added that people admitted to hospital for any reason would only be tested for the virus if they showed signs of being infected. Covid-19 patients could also be discharged early when their condition had stabilised, it added.

The new measures, aimed at preventing the city’s healthcare system from being overwhelmed amid a rise in cases, followed the mainland’s major easing of its Covid-19 restrictions on Wednesday, which allowed infected individuals with mild symptoms to isolate at home.

Only patients admitted to hospital who show signs of Covid-19 are being tested, and they can be discharged early once symptoms have subsided. Photo: Sam Tsang

The Hospital Authority said in the circular, which has been seen by the Post, that its Central Committee on Infectious Disease and Emergency Responses had reviewed the rules for patients at public hospitals and that new procedures would take effect immediately.