Hong Kong Infection Control Centre to continue taking care of patients with mild symptoms
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The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (March 31) that starting from tomorrow, it will discontinue the use of Hall 1 and Hall 2 of AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE), while Halls 8-11 will remain in standby mode as a community treatment facility.
"The Hong Kong Infection Control Centre of North Lantau Hospital (HKICC) has commenced operation since February 26 to provide hospital-grade isolation and treatment facilities. With the launching of the Government COVID-19 Vaccination Programme and the stabilising epidemic situation, it is believed that the 800-bed HKICC, together with around 1 000 beds on standby in Halls 8-11, should be able to take care of most of the COVID-19 patients with relatively stable conditions," the HA spokesperson said.
The HA is grateful to the Central Government, the Food and Health Bureau and other government departments for their strong support, as well as to the AWE for providing the venues, relevant facilities and the retrofitting to meet the infection control requirements. The community treatment facility was, hence, set up within a short period of time to provide isolation services for around 3 500 number of patients so far.
"The HA also appreciates the solidarity showcased by the frontline and backend supporting staff from various hospital clusters, as well as the active participation of the locum doctors and nurses. Their participation has helped double the capacity in public hospitals to receive suspected and confirmed patients and enhance the flexibility in managing the rapidly evolving epidemic," the spokesperson remarked.
The community treatment facility at AWE began operation on August 1 last year to receive COVID-19 confirmed patients with mild symptoms and able to live independently. Along with the changing epidemic situation, the community treatment facilities in Hall 1, Hall 2 and Halls 8-11 were put in service by phases. In accordance with the latest epidemic situation, the community treatment facility has turned to standby mode on March 13 this year.
Ends/Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Issued at HKT 18:30
Issued at HKT 18:30
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