It is said that some hospitals in Hong Kong are almost full due to the continuous increase in the number of patients who test positive for COVID-19. Because of this, the government plans there to force people to take the test starting in March.
A Reuters report said patients, including the elderly, were already staying outside the hospital due to the number of sick people.
Schools, gyms, movie theaters, and most public places are closed. Many of the offices also implement “work from home” set-ups.
It is said that people are also feeling tired of the government’s strict policy to protect them against the virus.
According to Health authorities, 6,116 confirmed cases were recorded on Thursday, up from 4,285 cases the previous day.
Since January, the number has reached 16,600, and 24 patients have been added to the number of deaths from the virus.
Some local media reportedly reported information from unidentified informants that the government plans to test up to a million people every day starting in March.
Failure to do so will result in a fine of HK $ 10,000 or the equivalent of $ 1,282.
COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong continue to rise
The government allegedly did not respond when asked for a reaction on the mandatory COVID-19 test.
“Because of the severe number of cases, we need to speed up admission to hospitals and community isolation facilities,” said undersecretary for food and health Chui Tak-Yi.
“The government is trying to ease all these bottlenecks,” he added.
The quarantine facilities are said to be full, and about 90% of the hospital beds are in use.
Their leader, Carrie Lam, plans to use up to 10,000 hotel rooms to isolate COVID-19 patients.
Hong Kong is also implementing the “dynamic zero” coronavirus strategy used by China to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
However, the more contagious Omicron variant is spreading rapidly. In addition, many seniors are hesitant to get vaccinated.
Since the pandemic began, Hong Kong has recorded 35,000 cases of COVID-19, and more than 250 have died.
But some medical experts warn that HK’s daily cases could possibly spike at 28,000 by the end of March.
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