Hong Kong orders mandatory COVID-19 tests for all residents

Hong Kong's leader says the city will test its entire population for COVID-19 in March as it grapples with its worst outbreak driven by the omicron variant

Virus Outbreak Hong Kong (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Hong Kong will test its entire population for COVID-19 in March, the city’s leader said Tuesday, as the city grapples with its worst outbreak driven by the omicron variant.

Hong Kong has reported about 5,000 new daily infections since Feb. 15, with the number threatening to overwhelm its healthcare system. Since the surge began at the beginning of the year, the city has recorded nearly 54,000 cases and 145 deaths.

The order for citywide testing comes after mainland Chinese authorities dispatched health workers and medical resources last week to help contain the outbreak in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.