With the support from the Central People’s Government, the Hong Kong SAR Government decided in August 2020 to construct a temporary hospital as a designated hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, situated at the Hong Kong International Airport AsiaWorld-Expo Phase 2 site. Its purpose is to enhance the ability of the Hospital Authority (HA) to handle further surges in cases anticipated in the next wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The temporary hospital project is led by the Development Bureau, and the Architectural Services Department is responsible for the project management. HA as the user is responsible for commissioning and providing services. The temporary hospital was placed under the governance of North Lantau Hospital (NLTH) and named the Hong Kong Infection Control Centre (HKICC).
The HKICC is a ground-breaking facility in the history of medical services in Hong Kong. It is the first hospital facility with negative pressure isolation wards built using modular integrated construction technology. With concerted efforts from various teams and departments, the project was completed in a mere 120 days. After the handover of the HKICC to the HA on 22 January, laboratory services were commenced in less than a month, and the first patient was admitted after just five weeks.
The HKICC accommodates 12 inpatient wards, with 136 six-bedded cubicles in negative pressure, providing a total capacity of 816 beds. An onsite laboratory provides core laboratory tests as well as molecular and serology tests for COVID-19. Medical ancillary services such as pharmacy and mobile X-ray are also available. The hospital provides inpatient treatment and monitoring to COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate severity. Dr Michael Wong will guide the audience on a virtual tour around the HKICC and show them the state-of-the-art features incorporated into the hospital.
