China builds mobile testing labs in HKG amid surge

Mainland China dispatched medical teams to build mobile testing laboratories in Hong Kong and to help the city get ready for the mass testing of its entire population in March.

About 5,000 newly cases are reported daily since February 15. The rapid surge of infections in the city has threatened to overwhelm its healthcare system. Mainland Chinese authorities sent epidemiologists, health workers and other medical resources last week to help contain the outbreak in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the city's 7.5 million people will be tested three times in March and the testing capacity will be boosted to 1 million a day or more. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government last week reopened the "Fire-Eye" lab to increase the daily testing capacity by 100,000 samples, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua. A set of five cabins of inflatable testing laboratories, "Falcon" is being built in Hong Kong Kowloon Park Sports Center. The laboratories can handle 80,000 samples a day once put into use, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Health officials said last week that hospitals were already at 90% of capacity and isolation facilities were full. The construction of four mobile hospitals is underway and these facilities will add around 14,000 to 17,000 units, CCTV reported.