HK's Last Covid Camp Penny's Bay Closes

Hong Kong's last remaining community isolation centre for Covid patients, Penny's Bay on Lantau, officially closed its doors on Wednesday.

A total of 270,000 people had spent time in the camp, and at its busiest, it accommodated 8,000 people at the same time.

At a ceremony, Under Secretary for Security Michael Cheuk thanked workers who operated the centre since it opened in July 2020, as well as government departments and contractors which helped to maintain the site.

"Here I can see Hong Kong is [a place where] the people are united and nothing is impossible. This site used to be a barren land, and then somewhere no one was willing to come," he said.

"I have heard of people trying to escape on their way here. Now we're shutting down but people are calling us saying they want to come."

The Civil Aid Service's chief staff officer, Leung Kwun-hong, said various government units had worked closely to admit patients quickly and cater to their needs.

The Penny's Bay site was initially a quarantine facility for close contacts of Covid patients, but was subsequently used to accommodate those who caught the virus and showed mild symptoms.

People who are infected with Covid-19 are no longer required to be isolated as authorities lifted the rule at the end of January.