'Govt Must Do More For Elderly Amid Covid Outbreak'

The government has been urged to prepare suitable facilities in case more elderly people have to be quarantined in view of a community outbreak of Covid-19.

The chairman of Elderly Services Association of Hong Kong, Kenneth Chan, told an RTHK radio programme on Thursday that many elderly people need special care, for example, those who are wheelchair-bound would need special washrooms.

The comments come after a group of elderly residents and staff from a Tsz Wan Shan care home at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak have been taken to a special holiday camp in Pok Fu Lam with accessible facilities.

But Chan told the programme that the camp could only accommodate some 100 people, and said that might not be enough if more elderly people have to be quarantined.

Nine elderly people and staff from the care home have been infected with Covid-19, with sources saying at least one more resident is confirmed with the infection today.

As of Thursday, Hong Kong has recorded 1,323 confirmed Covid-19 cases.

On Wednesday, Food and Health Secretary Sophia Chan announced that care home visits will be suspended given the recent surge in Covid-19 cases.