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By Donny Kwok and Farah Master
HONG KONG, Feb 16 (Reuters) - China's President Xi Jinping has told Hong Kong's leaders that their “overriding mission” was to stabilise and control a worsening COVID-19 outbreak, media reported on Wednesday as a fast rising wave of infections overwhelmed authorities.
The directive ramps up pressure on Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam a day after she said her government's response to the outbreak had been unsatisfactory, with hospitals and medical staff unable to cope.
Xi instructed Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng to relay to Lam his "concern about the pandemic situation" and his care for local residents, according to front page stories in newspapers Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao.
Health authorities in the global financial hub reported a record 1,619 confirmed new infections on Tuesday, and another 5,400 preliminary positive cases. The daily tally of COVID infections is now more than 20 times the level at the start of February, and worse is to come.
Broadcaster TVB said at least 4,285 new infections are expected to be reported on Wednesday, more than double the previous record, and there are another 3,000 preliminary positive tests.
Xi said the government "must mobilise all power and resources to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and health of the Hong Kong people and ensure the stability of the society," according to the newspapers.
Both media, which typically support Beijing's interests in Hong Kong, said Xi made the remarks recently but did not specify where he was speaking.
Local authorities must "firmly implement Xi's instructions," the papers said, adding that Beijing has set up a cooperation mechanism to ensure coordination.
Lam, who has not confirmed whether she will seek another five-year term as head of the Chinese-ruled city, said she could "not preclude" the possibility of postponing next month's chief executive election.
No heavyweight contender has yet declared their candidacy, a highly unusual situation just five weeks before an election.
Hong Kong has adopted the same 'dynamic zero' coronavirus strategy, employed by mainland China to suppress all outbreaks.
But the speed of the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant of the virus has left authorities floundering, with Lam saying they can no longer keep up with testing and isolation mandates.
Dozens of patients were being treated in makeshift open air spaces outside medical centres on Tuesday as several hospitals operated at over 100% capacity. Over 12,000 infected patients are waiting to be hospitalised, local broadcaster Cable reported on Wednesday.