Marathon Hospital Waits Warning After Flu Surge

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2018-02-20 HKT 11:24

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  A screen at the Prince of Wales Hospital indicating a waiting time of over eight hours. Photo: RTHK

The Hospital Authority has warned that people turning up at major hospitals may have to wait up to eight hours to see a doctor as a surge of flu cases has inundated facilities.

Public hospitals across Hong Kong are extremely overcrowded following the Lunar New Year break.

At the Tseung Kwan O, Tuen Mun and Prince of Wales hospitals, for example, non-urgent patients are having to wait more than eight hours to see a doctor.

The Hospital Authority is now urging the public to consider visiting private clinics instead.

The overall occupancy rate at public hospitals on Monday was 119 percent, with all 15 running over capacity.

The situation was worst at Pok Oi and United Christian hospitals, which had occupancy rates of 138 and 135 percent respectively.

Health officials earlier warned that hospitals will likely become even more overcrowded over the next few days.