Citizens wearing face masks walk to a clinic in Hong Kong, south China, March 22, 2022.(Photo: Xinhua)

Hong Kong has sought help from the central government to send another team of experts on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to support its fight against the rampaging epidemic, said Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's (HKSAR) Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Thursday, adding that the TCM approach is suitable for Hong Kong and will offer great help in COVID-19 treatment. 

Ko Pat-sing, chief executive of the local Hospital Authority, agreed with Lam on promoting TCM treatment for infected patients, noting that it can help the elderly with coughs, constipation, poor appetite, cold and fatigue.

The fifth wave of the epidemic remains severe in Hong Kong with 12,240 confirmed cases reported on Wednesday, local media reported. The number of cases has been less than 15,000 for four consecutive days, the lowest level of infections in the past month, health officials said, noting that the figures may not fully reflect the situation as many people were not tested at all. 

So far, a total of over 1.07 million confirmed cases have been found since the fifth wave started in early January, accounting for nearly 15 percent of the total population of Hong Kong. The mortality rate has reached 0.59 percent, according to figures released by the local government.

In particular, Lam said at the press conference on Thursday, the proportion of the elderly among the hospitalized is high, and they tend to develop severe symptoms. Vaccination rate among the group is also relatively low, she said. 

The number of elderly people aged 70 or above who have received the first dose of vaccine is 71 percent, and the number of those who have received two doses is 57 percent, which means that nearly 280,000 elderly people in Hong Kong are not fully vaccinated, and the situation is considered "extremely worrying," said Lam. 

The Hong Kong authority has approved the use of two COVID-19 drugs that has been given to over 15,000 patients. Clinics tend to use Pfizer's medicine while residential homes tend to use another drug developed by Merck & Co, Ko said.  

Lam noted that customs clearance between Hong Kong and the mainland remains the government's top priority and reiterated that the nucleic acid testing plan for all residents will not be abandoned.

Global Times