Chinese President Xi Jinping told Hong Kong leaders their “top priority” was to stabilize the city’s worsening Covid-19 situation as local authorities struggled to contain the worst outbreak of the disease.

Xi’s instructions came against the backdrop of reports from Hong Kong that the financial center’s health system was overwhelmed by Covid-19, with infected patients forced to lie in beds outside hospitals.

The government of Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor should make stabilizing the Covid-19 situation a top priority, state newspapers Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao reported on Wednesday.

“The Hong Kong government must take the main responsibility to stabilize and control the epidemic as soon as possible. As the current top priority, mobilize all resources that can be mobilized and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and health of the citizens. All Hong Kong residents, ensure the stability of Hong Kong society,” Wen Wei Po quoted Xi as saying.

Xi Jinping conveyed the instructions through Han Zheng, a seven-member Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.

According to reports, Xi Jinping has asked Han Han, the top mainland leader in charge of Hong Kong affairs, to convey the president’s “concern about the epidemic in Hong Kong and concern for Hong Kong residents” to Carrie Lam.

Han instructed the central government and relevant departments of Guangdong Province, which is adjacent to Hong Kong, to respond to requests for improving the city’s nucleic acid testing capabilities, providing rapid testing kits, ensuring the supply of local residents’ daily necessities, and sending epidemic prevention. Expert guidance.

After Xi’s statement, Carrie Lam expressed her “heartfelt thanks” to the president, while acknowledging that local authorities had been overwhelmed by a surging fifth wave of infections in the city.

“The rapid development of the pandemic has put Hong Kong in an extremely dire situation. The situation has also greatly exceeded the Hong Kong government’s ability to respond,” she said.

The city’s surging fifth wave of infections had accounted for 14,020 confirmed cases as of Tuesday since the city-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) began in late December, surpassing the previous record of 12,650 for the entire pandemic. The case was reported Wednesday.

More than 4,000 new cases are expected on Wednesday, the South China Morning Post said.

Carrie Lam is expected to meet with property developers in the city on Wednesday to discuss the use of an additional 10,000 rooms to address a severe shortage of isolation facilities for infected patients, according to reports.

Overall, the city, which has a population of about 7.5 million, has recorded about 26,000 infections and just over 200 deaths since the pandemic began, far fewer than other major cities of a similar size.

Complete News Source : Hindustan Times