A team of mainland health experts led by Liang Wannian, head of the COVID-19 response expert panel under China's National Health Commission, on Saturday visited anti-epidemic facilities in communities of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to learn about local testing, isolation and treatment.

Their stops included a community testing center at To Kwa Wan Sports Center and a community isolation facility (CIF) in Tsing Yi, which started admitting COVID-19 patients on March 1 after being built in one week with support from the mainland.

The mainland health experts sent to the HKSAR have helped the region's government strengthen "early detection, early isolation and early treatment," said the HKSAR's Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan, who accompanied Liang on Saturday's visit.

The team of five experts led by Liang arrived in Hong Kong on February 28. It is the third expert team sent by the central government to support the region's battle against a raging fifth wave of COVID-19 infections.

The HKSAR reported 37,529 new COVID-19 cases and 150 deaths on Saturday, official data showed.

During the week of February 23 to March 1, Hong Kong reported a daily average of 23,961 cases, compared with 6,227 cases in the previous week.

A spokesperson for the HKSAR government on Saturday said it would assume the main responsibility to fight the pandemic, and its various bureaus and departments would pull together to tame and control the outbreak as soon as possible.

Mainland's other new support

The construction of an emergency hospital, aided by the central authorities, began on Sunday in Hong Kong to help control the surge in coronavirus cases.

Around 6 a.m., more than 200 administrative staff and more than 1,700 workers from the China State Construction Engineering Corporation arrived at Lok Ma Chau Loop area, where the hospital with 1,000 beds will be built.

On Wednesday, a freight train loaded with 18 containers of anti-COVID-19 supplies, departing from Shenzhen, arrived in Hong Kong as part of the central government's efforts to help combat COVID-19.

The train was carrying 1.1 million COVID-9 virus test kits, 20,000 personal protective equipment items and other medical supplies. 

Aside from medical supplies, the new supply route will also be used to transport food and daily necessities to Hong Kong if needed.

(With input from agencies)