Queuing time at emergency rooms reaches eight hours

Citizens have to wait for up to eight hours at public hospitals on Sunday as Covid-19 infections strain accident and emergency services.

The Hospital Authority has said that A&E departments citywide are seriously overloaded, leading to extended waiting times. 

As of 3pm Sunday, patients at Ruttonjee Hospital had to wait for over 8 hours.

North Lantau Hospital and Pok Oi Hospital reported wait times of over 4 hours, while patients at Caritas Medical Centre, Kwong Wah Hospital, and Princess Margaret Hospital had to wait for over 3 hours. Queuing time at other public hospitals was one to two hours. 

The Hospital Authority has urged patients who tested positive for Covid-19 to wait at home for hospitalization arrangements. Those with mild symptoms are advised to seek medical attention from private clinics instead of A&E departments. 

According to the authority, public hospitals on Saturday saw 4,124 attendances, of which 778 were admitted to inpatient care. Overall bed occupancy rate at midnight was 93 percent, whereas 5 of the 16 hospitals were running beyond their capacities. 

United Christian Hospital, Caritas Medical Centre, and Tin Shui Wai hospital each reached occupancy rates of 105 percent, while Tseung Kwan O hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital reached 102 percent bed occupancy.