New Cases Per Day Recorded Still Passing 6000, Hong Kong Is Coming Out Of Fighting COVID-19

The case of COVID-19 transmission in Hong Kong is still high, so China must help to overcome it. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Hong Kong authorities are fighting "all out" to contain the surge in COVID-19 cases, city officials said on Sunday, February 20, 2022.

Hong Kong's top official John Lee wrote in a blog on Sunday that "the government has entered the stage of all-out battle. In accordance with President Xi Jinping's important instructions, stabilizing and controlling the epidemic is the main task."

In his "rebuke" to Hong Kong authorities on controlling the deteriorating outbreak, Chinese President Xi Jinping previously said the fight against the coronavirus should now be the "main mission".

To fight the outbreak, Hong Kong added isolation and treatment facilities with the help of a construction team from mainland China.

The city authority said that the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal will be converted into a special facility for treating COVID patients with 1,000 beds to reduce the burden on public hospitals.

While attending the groundbreaking of the construction of 10,000 COVID isolation units in Penny's Bay, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam was quoted as saying by Antara, saying the facility would increase the city's anti-epidemic capacity "in a very short time".

Health chief Sophia Chan said the city government was considering tightening social restrictions.

Although Hong Kong has so far ruled out a city-wide lockdown, authorities are considering making COVID tests mandatory for its 7.4 million residents.

China has sent epidemic experts, critical care experts and more than 100 test workers to the city, where authorities say the spike in new cases could subside after three months.

The relocation of residential complexes, commercial hotels and indoor sports centers will provide an additional 20,000 units of isolation rooms for those who test positive for COVID but are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.

Hong Kong reported 6,063 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday 19 February 2022.