Hong Kong has contracted a Chinese firm to build eight isolation and treatment facilities to help fight a worsening Covid-19 outbreak, as the government said daily cases in the global financial hub surged beyond 10,000 — a new record.

The temporary facilities, to be built by China State Construction International Holdings Ltd and with a combined capacity of 50,000 beds, will be spread across Hong Kong, including on private land lent for free by developers, Reuters reports.

“The target is to maximise the site utilisation and complete the relevant works as soon as possible, equipping Hong Kong for the fight against the epidemic,” the government said in a statement.

Medical workers take swab samples from residents at a community nucleic acid testing centre for Covid-19 at Sha Tin district in Hong Kong on February 7. — Reuters
Medical workers take swab samples from residents at a community nucleic acid testing centre for Covid-19 at Sha Tin district in Hong Kong on February 7. — Reuters

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