Public hospitals are taking contingency measures to cope with the surge in demand and admissions due to the recent cold weather and peak influenza season.
Hospital Authority Director (Cluster Services) Dr Cheung Wai-lun said today the use of emergency services has risen in the past week, while admissions have also gone up. He said patients with chronic respiratory and heart issues are affected most by the cold weather and urged chronic patients to stay vigilant and pay attention to personal hygiene.
To garner more resources for handling emergency cases, Dr Cheung said some of the less urgent services will be adjusted. Beds and staff will be reallocated, while subsidies will be offered to staff who are willing to take up extra shifts.
The authority will closely monitor the situation while the outreach service teams will visit institutions for the elderly regularly.
