People rest on benches in the Tai Hing Estate in Tuen Mun, Hong Kong on March 4, 2022, March 4, 2022. PHOTO XINHUA HONG KONG KONG HONG KONG reported 2,004 new COVID 19 cases on Wednesday as the Hospital Authority said it was ready to deploy up to 11,500 beds should there be a spike in admissions.
Albert Au Ka-wing, principal medical and health officer of the Centre for Health Protection's communicable disease branch, said in a press briefing that the new cases included 1,849 local infections and 155 imported cases.
He said that 788 infections were detected by nucleic acid testing and 1,061 by rapid antigen tests.
For the past week, we noticed a rise in caseload and at a rather high level. There may be a relaxation of social distancing measures in late May, according to Au.
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He said the increase was detected across all of the city's 18 districts but most of the cases had minor symptoms or were asymptomatic.
We see a growth in the territory. Au said hospital admissions and mortality cases are still at a very stable level.
Lau Ka-hin, Chief Manager Quality and Standards of the Hospital Authority, said in the same briefing that they prepared a hospital beds mobilization plan should there be a surge in admissions.
The Hospital Authority has prepared for a rebound and has not let its guard down, according to Lau. They have set up a command center to prepare for any eventuality.
We can commission 2,000 beds within 48 hours. He said that we can provide 5,000 more beds and 11,500 more beds in a single week.
Lau said the AsiaWorld-Expo treatment facility has 800 beds and can be recommissioned should the need arise.
As of Wednesday, there were 671 COVID 19 patients treated in public hospitals, including 107 new patients, according to Lau.
He said 13 were in critical condition, including three in intensive care units and 14 in serious condition.
READ MORE: HK to distribute 190,000 RAT kits after a virus was found in sewage The public hospitals are still able to cope and the increase in cases has not put a lot of pressure on our hospitals. There is a sufficient supply of isolation beds, according to Lau.
According to the Hong Kong University projections, the current rise in cases could peak by the middle of July, with 2,000 hospital beds needed. Lau added that the HA prepared to deploy 11,500 beds in case Omicron subvariants cause more infections.