In the new crown virus epidemic that has lasted for more than two years, Hong Kong has been relying on sending patients to the hospital for treatment, and the policy of compulsory quarantine of close contacts has been successful in preventing the spread of the community before, but it finally broke the fifth wave.
In early February, many citizens have tested positive with rapid test kits, but the government has no plan to deal with it. At one point, it called on patients to go to the emergency room, which quickly collapsed the medical system.
Citizens have to brave the severe cold, wait outside the hospital for admission, and photos of corpses piled up in the emergency room are all tragic scenes of this wave of epidemics.
Leo (pseudonym), a nurse in the emergency and emergency department of a public hospital, was interviewed by Hong Kong 01. He bluntly stated that the government disseminated information in a chaotic manner.
On February 17, Caritas Hospital was full, and patients had to wait outside for several days before being admitted.
(File photo / Photo by Ojiale)
Hospital Authority urges to test positive and go to A&E department to change his mind after a few days
"Some members of the public have tested positive for rapid antigen tests. According to the recommendation of the Department of Health, they should go to the A&E department." What to do with a positive rapid test result.
However, three days later, the government changed its statement. On February 9, 2022, Li Liye, Chief Administrative Manager (Integrated Clinical Services) of the Hospital Authority, said: "If the antigen test is positive, try to find family members, friends, couriers, and take deep throat saliva. Samples, after returning the samples, patiently wait for the results at home, do not go to the emergency room.”
At the end of February 2022, in the ward of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, many corpses were piled up, and the patient was accompanied by the corpse on the hospital bed.
(online picture)
Nurse: Government's slow response to information confuses public
Leo (pseudonym), a nurse in the Accident and Emergency Department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, was interviewed by Hong Kong 01, recalling the situation at the peak of the epidemic: "After the outbreak, the response was slow. Go to the doctor, but when there is a big outbreak, you turn your head and tell people without special symptoms, please don’t go to the emergency room, it will cause confusion to the public.”
Leo (pseudonym), a nurse in the emergency room of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, was interviewed by Hong Kong 01 and recalled the situation at the peak of the epidemic.
(Photo by Liang Pengwei)
Medical staff diagnosed with severe reduction in staff
"The outbreak in the public hospital started in mid-to-late February, and medical staff began to be diagnosed one after another, which led to a significant reduction in hospital staff, so that was the hardest period for medical staff. At the end of February, there were at least thousands to 10,000 confirmed cases per day. , there were 50,000 confirmed cases every day in early March. At least 89 people were diagnosed as nurses and assistants in my ward, and at least 100 nurses were estimated to be diagnosed in the entire Queen Elizabeth Hospital.” Leo was unfortunately diagnosed and recovered after 7 days. Continue to fight back on the front lines.
On March 4, the mortuary of Queen Elizabeth Hospital was full, and the remains were piled underground.
(File photo/Photo by Liao Yanxiong)
dead bodies in ward
The emergency room is overwhelmed, and the number of deaths will continue to increase. The hospital mortuary is full, and the bodies of the dead patients are piled up in the emergency room.
Leo said: "Because there are too many corpses in the A&E department, the corpses are placed in the ward for four or five hours before they are sent to the mortuary by medical colleagues. The corpse is kept at room temperature for a long time, and it may rot and stink. If the ward is sick, There is an opportunity to put the corpse in the small room if there is a vacant seat, but it is often impossible to do so, and many deceased patients can only be put back on the bed, all with their patients.”
At the end of February 2022, in the emergency room of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, there are remains in the storage area of the emergency room.
(provided by the reader)
The authorities are using containers as temporary mortuaries, and the isolation facilities are full. A large number of citizens have to isolate themselves at home without education and preparation.
The central government "shot" to help build seven community isolation facilities commonly known as "square cabins".
Xu Shuchang, an expert advisor to the government and a chair professor at CUHK, pointed out that in order to "zero out" the isolation and quarantine of mild patients, the isolation facilities are far from enough.
(Photo by O Jiale)
Xu Shuchang, an expert advisor to the government and chair professor of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at CUHK, said, "I have seen in different media that at the height of the epidemic, there were many elderly people in open spaces or tents in public hospitals. Case meeting, delayed governance.”
On March 21, the government installed a body freezer at the Fushan public mortuary in Shatin.
(File photo / Photo by Liang Pengwei)
"Clearing" causes patients with mild illness to occupy resources
"Hong Kong's quarantine facilities were originally thought to be sufficient, because there are already negative pressure rooms, not many countries or cities have so many negative pressure rooms." Xu Shuchang said that after 2005, Hong Kong's major hospitals have 100 negative pressure beds, but still In the face of this wave of epidemics, "Once Omicron is so explosive, you still have to "zero" to isolate and quarantine mild patients, then the public hospital facilities will be insufficient. Even if North Lantau Island is later, using containers to start a makeshift hospital will not be enough. Can't keep up."
The "square cabin" community isolation facility in Tam Mei, Yuen Long has been closed.
(File photo / Photo by Liang Pengwei)
Xu Shuchang said that it would be better if there were designated clinics earlier. "But there is also a problem. Because there is no oral medicine, if you are diagnosed, you have to find a place to isolate. If the isolation facilities can't catch up, there will be problems."
At the beginning of March, the Lok Ma Chau Loop Emergency Hospital was under construction. The Hong Kong government approved the construction of a temporary bridge under the Emergency Law, and the personnel and materials at the construction site were not restricted by Hong Kong law.
(File photo/Photo by Li Zetong)
The emergency hospital in the Lok Ma Chau Loop was built and operated by the central government, and the Emergency Law was used to build a temporary bridge directly to the mainland. When it was delivered and completed in early April, the epidemic situation in Hong Kong had subsided, and it has not been used yet.
On April 7, the first phase of the Lok Ma Chau Loop Emergency Hospital was completed and delivered on Thursday. The first phase of the project can provide 500 negative pressure beds.
(CCTV)
In the next episode, the reporter returns to places where the number of deaths is relatively high, elderly or disabled homes, to explore why the group of people who need protection the most are in the most dangerous places.
Review of the fifth wave of the epidemic・1｜Finding the source of the outbreak, why Hong Kong is unprepared for a long time
