Hong Kong under pressure as record COVID outbreak stretches hospitals to limit

Hong Kong -- which went for months without any daily cases last year -- reported a record 4,285 daily cases on Wednesday.

HONG KONG -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Hong Kong officials to “take all necessary steps” to contain the city’s worst coronavirus outbreak to date.

Hong Kong -- which went for months without any daily cases last year -- reported a record 4,285 daily cases on Wednesday, driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant.

Speaking with pro-Beijing media, Xi said Hong Kong authorities “should earnestly assume the main responsibility and regard the rapid stabilization and control of the epidemic as the current overriding task.”

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam said she appreciated Xi’s concern and will work to unite the city to defeat the virus. Lam is doubling down on the city’s no-tolerance approach to the virus, despite escalating infections in the densely populated city.