A general view shows the construction site of the temporary community isolation and treatment facilities, or mobile cabin hospitals, being built with the support of the central government for COVID-19 patients in Tsing Yi, Hong Kong on Feb 24, 2022. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)

Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, instructed Chinese mainland teams on Wednesday to expedite the construction of makeshift hospitals in Hong Kong and assist the special administrative region as it prepares for COVID-19 mass testing scheduled in March.

Officiating the fifth anti-pandemic coordination meeting in Shenzhen, Xia called on the mainland departments and task forces to make every effort to give full support to the SAR government in its battle against the city’s worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak.

Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, called on the mainland departments and task forces to make every effort to give full support to the SAR government in its battle against the city’s worst-ever COVID-19 outbreak

Expressing his full confidence in Hong Kong’s efforts against the virus, Xia affirmed the concrete achievements made by various task forces over the past week in pandemic control, the construction of isolation facilities, and the steady supply of food and daily necessities.

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Appealing for joint efforts from all sectors, Xia stressed that the pandemic situation in Hong Kong is pressing, as the city’s medical system is facing unprecedented pressure due to the exponential number of infections.

He urged all mainland medical teams and task forces to strengthen unity and cooperation, and fully assist Hong Kong in its fight against the fifth wave of the pandemic.

Since Feb 17, five coordination meetings have been held to review the progress being made in providing assistance for Hong Kong’s anti-pandemic work.

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