Chinese mainland sends 50 experts to HK to assist COVID-19 testing

A total of 50 nucleic acid testing personnel from various public hospitals in Guangdong Province have gone to Hong Kong to help carry out more extensive nucleic acid testing, local health authorities said on Friday.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Friday that mass testing of residents for coronavirus in the Asian financial hub will begin on September 1, as she warned people not to be complacent despite a steady fall in the number of new infections.

Since July, the HKSAR has been experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19, and the local authorities have appealed to the central government for support in fighting against the outbreak. In accordance with the deployment arrangement of the National Health Commission, Guangdong Province has set up the first mainland nucleic acid testing support team to aid Hong Kong's anti-epidemic work, of which ten members were first dispatched to Hong Kong in early August.

Zou Weiming, deputy leader of the mainland nucleic acid testing support team, said that all members of the team have been trained in various aspects. Among the 50 people, 60 percent were professional testers who had previously supported Beijing and Wuhan in fighting the epidemic, and they have rich experience and professional skills.