Coronavirus: Hong Kong may turn sports and expo centres into temporary hospitals, sources say
- Coliseum in Hung Hom is one option being considered as public hospitals begin to run out of isolation space
- Contingency plan comes as city reports 41 new infections, most of them from overseas
Sources said Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s advisers in the Executive Council would discuss options on Tuesday, including the use of the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom, if public hospitals became overwhelmed by the daily surge of imported and community-spread infections.
Another 41 infections confirmed on Monday took the city’s total to 682, most of them coming from overseas, as experts warned the situation was “severe”, even “a little out of control”, and suggested isolating patients showing mild to no symptoms in government facilities or even at home instead of using up precious hospital space.
“The government has to plan ahead. For patients who have no infection symptoms and would not require oxygen support, we could place them together in areas such as sports centres if the situation worsens,” a source said.
“The Hong Kong Coliseum would be an option given the large space it has. Other sports and exhibition facilities in the city could be a choice as well.”
The areas will not have negative-pressure wards that restrict airflow but ventilation would be sufficient and patients separated.