HONG KONG, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong has built an infection control center in the North Lantau Hospital, a medical treatment facility for COVID-19 patients. The construction of the facility, fully supported by the central government, was completed within four months and officially opened on Wednesday.
The North Lantau Hospital Infection Control Centre covers an area of around 30,000 square meters, including six ward areas, one medical area, and one energy center.
"Before the facility was put into use, Hong Kong only had 1,200 negative pressure wards for COVID-19 patients. But now the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre is open, it can offer 816 negative pressure isolation wards, which brings a significant increase of 75 percent to the number of such wards in Hong Kong," said Zhang Yi, general manager of China State Construction International Medical Industry Development CO. Ltd.
"The hospital is designed to be a permanent building. Its structure can withstand hurricane-force winds. The hospital is also designed to withstand floods that occur once in 50 years. It's also equipped with a complete set of fire-fighting facilities," said Zhang.
A total of 136 negative pressure wards inside the facility are equipped with ventilation outlets to refresh the air 12 times per hour, keeping the air pressure of all wards at -10 pa. The air exhaled by patients will be filtered before being discharged through outlets three meters above the building, a practice conforming to international standards.
Ultraviolet disinfection lamps on outdoor-facing windows on wards also help with disinfection.
Each ward is equipped with cameras for medical staff to remotely monitor patients, while there are also separate bathrooms for patients and staff, reducing the risk of infection for medical workers.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
