Clinics may be expanded as 800 a day seek help

The head of the Hospital Authority, Tony Ko, said on Sunday that seven clinics pressed into service last week to help Covid patients with mild symptoms have been able to meet demand, but could be expanded if the need grows.

Since Wednesday, the public clinics – at Shau Kei Wan, Kennedy Town, San Po Kong, Kowloon Bay, Kwai Chung, Sha Tin and Tin Shui Wai – have been designated for Covid-19 patients, as officials seek to ease pressure amid a surge in Omicron infections that left hospitals filled beyond capacity.

Authorities expect the seven clinics to collectively help up to 1,000 patients per day.

Dr Ko told reporters that the designated facilities are treating more than 800 infected individuals daily between them, but more capacity could be added.

“We understand that the service demand may not be evenly distributed among the different regions, because obviously for regions, if there are more cases or there are outbreaks, then the demand will be higher,” he said.

“We are actually looking for ways to see how we can make the information more transparent, and if necessary, expand the service, so they are also in the pipeline.”

Ko also said that private hospital staff have been very helpful in easing the burden on public hospitals.

For example, he said, many private doctors and nurses are working in the community treatment facilities at AsiaWorld-Expo and at the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre.