Hong Kong’s Covid Mass Testing Plan in Flux as Deaths Soar

Hong Kong's plan to test its entire 7.4 million population three times in March is in trouble as the government is under pressure to focus on addressing the Covid death rate that has surged to the highest in the world.

The city is trying to prevent elderly people from dying. According to the South China Morning Post, the mass testing exercise may be moved to April. Both outlets did not identify their sources.

The pivot came after the leader of China's National Health Commission suggested that Hong Kong focus on lowering deaths, reducing severe cases and eliminating infections.

The seven-day rolling average rose to 27 deaths per 1 million people as of Sunday. That double Latvia, which has the second-highest rate, surpasses the peak of the U.S. omicron wave. Only 15% of elderly residents in care homes have been vaccined against the deadly virus.

There are unvaccinated hotbeds in Hong Kong's nursing homes.

Hong Kong has been confused about mass-testing plans since the Chief Executive announced them last month. The city is looking at conflicting media reports about the length and severity of lockdowns that are expected to occur while the testing is conducted. supermarket shelves were stripped bare in a wave of panic buying, and a growing exodus from the financial hub.

What we know about Hong Kong

The Civil Service Bureau will meet with unions on Friday to discuss participation of government workers in the mass-testing drive.

A representative for the Hong Kong government didn't respond immediately. Department of Health official Albert Au said that details of the mass testing plan are still under discussion.

There were a lot of conflicting media reports last week that made people in Hong Kong anxious. The city will set a time limit for residents to buy groceries, according to Cable TV. The South China Morning Post reported that there would be a nine-day lockdown in the middle of March.

There were over 30,000 cases and 160 deaths in Hong Kong on Tuesday. The number of infections may be under-counted due to a problem with testing.

With help from Kiuyan Wong and Kari Soo Lindberg.