Hong Kong's first air-inflated laboratories at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre are believed to have set a world record for testing 100,000 single-tube samples each day, former Hospital Authority chairman Anthony Wu Ting-yuk said on Sunday.
"No other place in the world could have done that," Wu, who is also the chairman of BGI's genetic laboratory in Hong Kong, said. He described the citywide testing program as a "seamless cooperation" between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong's public and private sectors.
The program not only involves assistance from the central government and planning of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's government, but Hong Kong's private sector is also responsible for conducting the virus testing, which is indeed a chance in a lifetime, Wu said.
The facility, also called the Huo-Yan Laboratory, has been operated by BGI since the Universal Community Testing Programme launched on Sept 1, in an effort to unearth hidden chains of transmission in the city. Since August, about 600 medical experts have come to the city to help with the testing, to combat the third wave of the pandemic at the HKSAR government's request.
As of 6 pm on Sunday, more than 1.67 million people have been tested in the citywide testing program, according to the SAR government.
Wu said he believes that Hong Kong residents are extremely appreciative of the mainland medical experts' effort. "A huge amount of thank-you cards were received. I personally also received more than 1,000 thank-you emails from residents, asking me to pass the grateful message to the mainland medical experts," he said, adding that without the nation's support, the SAR could not have completed the mass testing.
Local actress Liza Wang Ming-chuen visited the laboratory on Sunday to express her gratitude to the team of experts sent by the central government. "Some young people may only take a three to four-hour rest," Wang said.
Wang also urged residents who have not yet participated in the universal test to do so before the program ends on Monday. "We need to do our best to lower the chance of community infection," she said.
President and co-founder of BGI Wang Jian said mainland medical experts have worked against the clock during this two-week program because they were compelled by their "sincere heart" toward fellow Hong Kong compatriots. "Whenever there are disasters on the mainland, Hong Kong residents often come forward and generously make their donation, this time let us contribute back to the SAR," Wang said.
