Lam expresses confidence as HK welcomes third medical team

Hailing the speed of its construction when inspecting the makeshift hospital on Monday, Lam said the project, which was completed in seven days, gave a shot in the arm to the city's anti-pandemic work.

Calling it the first victory, Lam thanked China State Construction Engineering Corp for undertaking these projects to provide tens of thousands of isolation and treatment places.

With the full support of the central government, Hong Kong will surely win the battle to get life back to normal, Lam told Hong Kong residents in the video address.

Calling for support from the public, Lam said the government will mobilize all possible means to contain the pandemic.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said on Monday in a local radio program that the government did not rule out the possibility of a full lockdown in the city during the mass testing.

She said some or maybe even all of the samples would be sent to the mainland for testing, which has greater capabilities.

The government is ironing out the details of the program at full speed and is considering sending medical staff to take samples from those unable to reach testing sites, including those who are bedridden and in nursing homes, Chan said.

On Sunday, Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, chairing the sixth anti-pandemic coordination meeting in Beijing online, stressed that the central government will continue to provide full support to Hong Kong and make every effort to ensure a steady supply of medical resources and daily necessities to Hong Kong.

To cope with the upcoming mass testing, the SAR government will order more rapid antigen test kits and protective gear from the central government.

Hong Kong's college entrance exam, the HK Diploma of Secondary Education Examination, will be held on April 22 as planned and shortened to three weeks.

On Monday, the city reported 34,466 positive COVID-19 cases and 87 related deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the tally to over 205,780 cases.