The Hospital Authority is discussing with private hospitals the possibility of cooperation in its fight against atypical pneumonia, the Chairman of the Hospital Authority says.

Speaking on RTHK's news programme "Accountability", Dr Leong Che Hung said, to reduce the pressure on the public healthcare sector, some private practitioners will work in public hospitals next week to help treat non-atypical pneumonia patients.

With their assistance, the Hospital Authority can spare more healthcare workers to join the battle against the disease, added Dr Leong.

He said each public hospital has spared one-third of its manpower to help combat the disease. They will be divided into teams and take turns caring for atypical pneumonia patients.

Staff who have been working with atypcial pneumonia patients for a certain period of time will be rotated to other areas, he added.

He said only about 10% to 15% of atypcial pneumonia patients require special care in the intensive-care unit. If all the existing 371 ICU beds are used, arrangements will be made to convert others into ICU beds.

Dr Leong is concerned that more and more healthcare workers have come down with the disease.