Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's (HKSAR) first temporary hospital for COVID-19 patients started operation on Saturday. It received the first group of more than 20 patients, according to CGTN reporter Zhu Dan.

The temporary hospital, located in the venue housing the Asia World-Expo, will mainly treat coronavirus patients aged 18-60. The 500-bed facility provides 24-hour medical services, lung X-rays and blood tests.

On its first operational weekend, the hospital is expected to receive 30 patients each day.

Around a dozen nurses and two doctors were on duty on Saturday to take care of the patients.

A medical expert said the temporary hospital is designed to receive patients with mild symptoms and confirmed patients awaiting to be hospitalized.

The hospital is equipped with ultraviolet disinfection facility and changing rooms besides self-service stations for patients to sanitize themselves and check their health status by measuring blood pressure, blood oxygen level and other parameters.

The HKSAR reported 125 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours, including 124 cases of local transmission and one from overseas, Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) said on Saturday.

(Cover: Asia World-Expo in the HKSAR, China, August 1, 2020. /CMG)