Hong Kong’s social system remodeling that steadily promotes virus containment
Go to gallery page
(Yuji Hirata: Business owner living in Hong Kong)
The spread of Omicron strains continues in Hong Kong. On February 17, the number of newly infected people reached 6,116, and the number of infected people who might not be accommodated in medical facilities reached 12,000. The unbelievable sight of an elderly infected patient dawning in a rushed outdoor tent outside the hospital.
It was good until the spread of the infection was suppressed by strict immigration restrictions and forced quarantine for three weeks, but the resulting lack of social resistance to the new corona was revealed at once.
In response to this situation, President Xi Jinping gave an unusual instruction to the Hong Kong government to “take every possible measure to contain Corona.” It is said that Hong Kong strongly ordered the Hong Kong government to adhere to the thorough “Zero Corona” policy as in China, without leaning toward coexistence with Corona as in Europe and the United States (according to the Pro-Chinese Media Bulletin of Hong Kong on 16th).
Rapid spread of infection and medical collapse that started in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong with a population of 7.4 million, the rate of newly infected 6116 is 0.083%. In Tokyo, which has a population of 14 million, the number is 11,620 per day, which is close to the situation in late January when the infection spread rapidly.
Considering the population density of Hong Kong and the living environment of low-income earners, it is undeniable that the number of infected people may increase to the same level as or higher than that of Tokyo. Since the peak time in Tokyo is regarding 0.15% of the population, it is feared that the number of newly infected people in Hong Kong will soon exceed 10,000.
The serious thing is the collapse of medical care, the absolute number of “corona beds” in Japan is not enough, the number of infections of medical staff who can be said to be nosocomial infections is increasing rapidly, and private hospitals in the area are closed temporarily. However, it started to appear.
In Hong Kong, there are not enough beds, and more and more patients are spending time in the outdoor hypothetical ward (Photo: Archyde.com / Afro).
Go to gallery page
Go to gallery page
Eventually, the same measures as in Japan, such as the isolation of asymptomatic infected people at home, will be taken, but as long as the Zero Corona is raised, infected people will basically be strictly isolated. In a hurry, the Hong Kong government plans to isolate infected people in accommodations such as hotels, school dormitories, and unoccupied public housing. As in China, the idea of urgently building a detention facility such as a field hospital in a remote area has emerged.
China has announced that it will send medical staff, including medical staff, to Hong Kong due to the absolute shortage of medical staff and fire department staff who carry emergency patients. It seems that Chinese medical staff who have already entered Hong Kong from Shenzhen have started activities in the field.