By The SUN
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| CE Lee says hotel quarantine could be cut once the health code is adopted |
Chief Executive John Lee has indicated his government is on course to cut the hotel quarantine for newly arrived travelers, which is why the introduction of a health code is necessary.
Speaking to the media before the Executive Council meeting earlier today, CE Lee said the health code system will only target two types of people: those who have been infected and must be kept at home, and those who are now being kept in quarantine hotel.
“First of all, the red code is intended to identify people who have been infected and they should not be going around spreading the virus,” he said.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
“The second group is also very small and well defined, which is people who are now being kept in a quarantine hotel. We (will) introduce this yellow code for them…to allow them to have some limited activities, so that business can continue in a much normal way, and we need some identification method.”
Also as part of the new measures, all infected patients will be required to wear electronic tracking devices starting on Friday to compel them to stay at home in compliance with the law.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
The CE made his statement as the Hospital Authority said it has cut down on non-emergency treatments because of a significant rise in the number of infections and the corresponding increase in hospitalizations.
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| Hospitals are cutting down on non-urgent surgeries as Covid admissions hit 1,000 |
An additional 2,767 coronavirus infections were reported today, of which 211 were imported cases.
More than 1,000 patients are now being treated in public hospitals, including 17 who are critically ill and 24 who are in serious condition.
Lee said the government is trying to come up with
anti-epidemic measures that are more precise and scientific so they can protect
people who are at high risk for contracting Covid and at the same time, allow
others to get in and out of the city more easily and conveniently.
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The CE denied the health code system which would require users to provide their real names was meant to keep track on people, infringing on their right to privacy.
“Any measures meant for tackling the epidemic will not be used for other purposes. It’s not going to happen. If anyone wants to stir trouble with this, let me say here categorically that it’s not a fact. It’s not true. Don’t believe in such things,” Lee said.
He cited figures that show an escalation in the daily
infection tally. From about 3,000 cases each day at present, he said the trend
indicates that the figures will go up very quickly soon.
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| Press for details |
The hospitalisation rate has also tripled in just a month and a half, from about 300 to nearly 1,000 as of today.
This jump has led some public hospitals to cut down on non-urgent surgeries, said HA’s Dr Sara Ho said in today’s press briefing.
“In some hospitals and clusters, we have started to adjust the quota for elective surgeries, such as endoscopy service, elective cardiac interventions or some of the elective surgeries for benign tumours. These measures are to mobilise the manpower and beds to accommodate an anticipated upsurge in patients,” she said.
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| PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS |
She called on Covid patients to seek early treatment to prevent their condition from deteriorating.
Ho reported one more Covid-related death, involving a 94-year-old woman who had two vaccine jabs. Her death pushed the fatality toll in the fifth wave to 9,207.
Among the new cases, 2,558 were locally transmitted, including 1,103 confirmed via PCR tests and 1,455 verified positive RAT results.
Among the 211 imported cases, 135 were detected at the
airport, including 56 from the
CE Lee said the government will soon announce a new round of appointments to the expert panel advising the government on its Covid strategy.
Reports say the new appointees will include Prof Ivan Hung,
head of the
They will join incumbent professors Gabriel Leung, Dean of Medicine
at HKU; Yuen Kwok-yung, HKU Microbiology Department head; and David Hui, chair
of the Department of Medicine at
Lee said the government will continue to listen to experts’ views and look at scientific data before making any policy decisions concerning the pandemic.
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| PADALA NA! |
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