Dr. Siu Yuet-chung of Eastern Hospital’s A&E Department said due to the increase in people seeking medical attention, the overall occupancy rate at some hospitals surpassed 110 percent.

He said the waiting time for patients to enter wards has also increased, with a small number of mild cases having to wait for more than eight hours, but most cases could be admitted after a 1 to 2-hour wait.

Siu noted that the situation was not ideal and there were at least 6,000 patients seeking medical attention at the hospital each day despite the Easter Holidays having ended. He also said the A&E department is busier during the weekend.

Meanwhile, Siu said over the past week, there has been a 15 percent increase in influenza cases, and he urged citizens to maintain personal hygiene, wear masks in crowded areas, and get their flu jabs as soon as possible.