Corona in Hong Kong: Omikron pushes clinics to the limit

Hong Kong’s clinics are at their breaking point in view of the numerous new corona infections. Today alone there were more than 2000 cases. A complete lockdown of individual districts can no longer be ruled out.

The omicron wave hit Hong Kong so badly that the government now has to admit for the first time that the healthcare system is overwhelmed by the highly contagious virus variant. This statement by Hong Kong Prime Minister Carrie Lam is remarkable because the health system in the Chinese special administrative region is considered one of the most efficient and best in the world.

In the past two weeks, the number of daily new corona infections in Hong Kong has increased almost fifteenfold. Contacts of those who tested positive can no longer be continuously traced, and the state isolation facilities are full. Hong Kong’s strict zero-Covid policy has thus failed.

Hong Kongers are hoarding food

Therefore, Hong Kong’s government is now increasingly relying on the help of state corona experts from mainland China to get the situation under control. Complete lockdowns of individual districts are also being discussed. In Hong Kong, many people have started hoarding food in bulk, and many supermarket shelves are said to be empty. There are also long queues in front of test stations.

Around two-thirds of Hong Kong residents are vaccinated. However, many older people in the former British colony in particular still refuse to be vaccinated. Often because they don’t trust the government. It is also problematic that many people in Hong Kong are vaccinated with Chinese vaccines, which are less effective against infection than vaccines from Europe or the USA, for example.

Mainland China reports new outbreak

In mainland China, a new corona outbreak is reported from the city of Suzhou near Shanghai. The authorities have ordered the schools there to remain closed after the end of the New Year holidays.