Coronavirus Hong Kong: inability of patients to list chronic medical conditions undermines care and could lead to death, experts say
- Self-reporting website has no provision for patients to report detailed medical history or chronic illnesses, which experts say could lead to triage problems
- Issue comes to light after a 59-year-old man with multiple chronic illnesses was sent to isolation facility and died
The issue of triage for quarantining coronavirus patients came to light after authorities sent a 59-year-old man with multiple chronic illnesses to the government-run Penny’s Bay facility and who later collapsed and died on Sunday.
The incident followed the death of 87-year-old actor Kenneth Tsang Kong at a quarantine hotel in Kowloon late last month. The veteran performer had also suffered from chronic diseases.
On Wednesday, the Centre for Health Protection’s principal medical and health officer Albert Au Ka-wing declined to comment on individual cases, but said that in general Covid-19 patients were required to report their symptoms and personal particulars, and officials would then assess the urgency of care based on several risk factors, including age and health conditions.
“If there are dangerous symptoms, of course they will have to go to accident and emergency departments immediately and seek medical help,” he said.
The Hospital Authority said the 59-year-old man, who had received a kidney transplant in 2018, suffered from high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnoea and renal and heart failures.
The patient tested positive for Covid-19 on April 28, and after he collapsed at Penny’s Bay on Sunday, he was found to have low blood sugar. He did not have a heartbeat when he was taken to hospital. The case will be referred to the Coroner’s Court for investigation.
