

Hong Kong Today
Description:
RTHK's morning news programme. Weekdays 6:30 - 8:00
Presenter:
Janice Wong and Vicky Wong2022-03-03
Thursday
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Selected audio segments:
Hospitals set up freezers to store Covid deaths
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Hong Kong has experienced another big jump in new coronavirus cases and deaths. Cases shot up past the 50,000 mark for the first time, while another 160 deaths were reported. Health authorities say large freezer containers will be set up at public hospitals to store bodies as mortuaries are reaching capacity. Timmy Sung reports:
CE rules out hard lockdown
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The Chief Executive Carrie Lam has sought to clarify the government's plans for a mass Covid testing exercise later this month. As Frank Yung reports, she said the government had no plans for a complete lockdown during the citywide testing:
Experts air concerns over citywide testing plan
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Several medical experts have questioned the government’s plan to conduct a citywide Covid testing exercise this month. They made clear on two radio shows that their chief concern remains whether Hong Kong had enough isolation facilities for those found to be infected. Frances Sit reports:
Cowling questions purpose of citywide testing
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A top epidemiologist says a citywide testing scheme will be useful in helping control the current Covid outbreak. But Professor Benjamin Cowling from the University of Hong Kong's School of Public Health said if the purpose was to get the number of cases back to zero, it would consume a huge amount of resources for very little public health benefit. Cowling also told Vicky Wong that the number of Covid cases in the city could peak in about seven days but would only be a 'halfway' mark:
Private hospitals criticised over kidney patients
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Top microbiologist, Yuen Kwok-yung, says private hospitals should not have transferred patients they were treating to public hospitals, after they tested positive for Covid. The Hospital Authority says that happened to dozens of kidney patients who'd been receiving dialysis at private facilities. Violet Wong reports:
Fifth wave sees almost 2,000 minors hospitalised
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Health authorities says around 2,000 youngsters have been hospitalised due to Covid infections since the fifth wave erupted. Out of these patients aged 17 or below, 49 had to receive intensive care, while 60 percent were aged two or younger. Dr Mike Kwan, a consultant of Princess Margaret Hospital's Paediatric Infectious Disease Unit, told Janice Wong that one of the reasons was because children aged two and under were not eligible for Covid vaccination:
Pandemic hits public transport
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Train services will be reduced and many bus routes will be suspended as the pandemic hits public transport. The changes take effect from Friday, as Jimmy Choi reports:
Mainland butchers to beef up manpower in HK
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Supplies of fresh pork to local retailers have declined significantly after Covid outbreaks forced two local abattoirs to suspend operations last weekend. But dozens of mainland butchers are coming to pick up the slack, and a pork trader believes supplies will stabilise once infected workers start to recover. Damon Pang reports:
Smokers at higher risk of contracting Covid
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Removing your surgical mask to smoke a cigarette could increase your chances of catching Covid. That's according to a University of Hong Kong professor, who led a study that found a link between smoking and a higher risk of contracting the virus. The researchers from HKU and the Chinese University studied European data, and published their findings in the journal, Addiction. Lead researcher, Ryan Au Yeung from HKU's School of Public Health, told Vicky Wong about the findings:
DAB wants cross-border ambulance services
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The DAB has proposed allowing cross-border ambulance services, so that Hong Kong paramedics can transport patients directly to hospitals on the mainland, and vice-versa.That's among a series of proposals the party plans to put forward at the annual "two sessions" in the capital. The meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference begins in Beijing on Friday, while the National People's Congress convenes the day after, as Damon Pang reports: