Authorities in Hong Kong will open seven designated clinics on Wednesday to attend to COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms.
This comes as the city scrambles to contain its worst outbreak since the start of the pandemic, with thousands of patients estimated to be waiting to be admitted to hospitals or isolation facilities.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the Centre for Health reported 1,619 new cases on Tuesday, all of which were locally transmitted.
The center said it also recorded around 5,400 preliminary positive cases.
Meanwhile, the Hospital Authority said eight people are in critical condition, including a previously reported three-year-old.
The occupancy rate for isolation beds in public hospitals has reached 90 per cent. Sara Ho, the authority’s chief manager (patient safety and risk management), said this was the upper limit.
As patients with milder symptoms have to wait longer to be admitted to hospitals or isolation facilities for treatment, Ho said the government would open seven designated clinics on Wednesday to attend to this group.
“If patients have mild symptoms, such as fever, cough or sore throat, they can get treatment at these designated clinics,” she said. “If necessary, we will send the patients to hospital for further treatment.”
Patients need to first call one of the clinics to make a booking. Ho said this is to prevent the gathering of crowds.
The clinics, which are located in Shau Kei Wan, Kennedy Town, San Po Kong, Kowloon Bay, Kwai Chung, Sha Tin and Tin Shui Wai, will open every day from 9am to 1pm, and 2pm to 5pm.
Ho said there would be a quota of around 1,000 consultation slots available per day.
The government said in a separate press release that it was discussing with the taxi industry to offer designated transport to these clinics for these patients. Authorities, however, have not provided more details.
But Ho stressed that if a patient suddenly feels very unwell, such as having breathing difficulties or cramps, or if family members notice that he is losing consciousness, they should send him to the accident and emergency department for treatment immediately.
List of designated clinics for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms:
1/F, Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic
1/F, 8 Chai Wan Road, Shau Kei Wan
2560 0211
Kennedy Town Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic
45 Victoria Road, Kennedy Town
2817 3215
Robert Black General Out-patient Clinic
600 Prince Edward Road East, San Po Kong
2383 3311
Kowloon Bay Health Centre General Out-patient Clinic
1/F, 9 Kai Yan Street, Kowloon Bay
2116 2812
South Kwai Chung Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic
310 Kwai Shing Circuit, Kwai Chung
2615 7333
Yuen Chau Kok General Out-patient Clinic
G/F, 29 Chap Wai Kon Street, Sha Tin
2647 3383
1/F, Tin Shui Wai (Tin Yip Road) Community Health Centre
1/F, 3 Tin Yip Road, Tin Shui Wai (Opposite Hong Kong Wetland Park and Vianni Cove of Tin Kwai Road)
3124 2200
