Hong Kong has contracted state-owned China State Construction International Holdings to build eight isolation and treatment facilities to help the global financial hub fight a worsening Covid-19 outbreak, the government said.
The temporary facilities, with a combined capacity of 50,000 beds, will be spread across Hong Kong, including on private land lent for free by developers.
The move follows promises of “staunch support” from Beijing, with city leader Carrie Lam maintaining her official goal of bringing infections down to zero from about 9,000 per day.
“The target is to maximise the site utilisation and complete the relevant works as soon as possible, equipping Hong Kong for the fight against the epidemic,” the government said in a statement late on Thursday.
Sun Hung Kai Properties, New World Development and Henderson Land Development are among the developers that contributed to the scheme.
In September, Beijing had given a new mandate to the Chinese-ruled city’s powerful property tycoons, telling them to pour resources and influence into backing Beijing’s interests.
Hong Kong is following China’s “dynamic zero-Covid” strategy, aiming to eradicate all outbreaks at all costs, but the spread of infections with the highly-transmissible Omicron variant this year has overwhelmed the city’s health system.
Authorities on Thursday reported a new record of 8,798 confirmed daily infections, with 50 deaths over the past 24 hours. University of Hong Kong researchers predict new infections could peak at 180,000 a day next month.
This week, Lam used emergency powers granted under British colonial-era laws to exempt mainland Chinese staff and projects from any licensing or other legal requirements.
Hong Kong has stepped up anti-pandemic measures in the past week, including plans for mass testing buttressed by equipment, testing vehicles and personnel from the mainland.
- Reuters with additional editing by Jim Pollard
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