the programme, which will begin in march, comes as the territory is struggling to cope with a sharp rise in infections. confirmed new cases are currently running at more than six thousand a day with many vulnerable people not vaccinated. our correspondent danny vincent sent this report. heavy equipment preparing the ground for a makeshift field hospital, reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic in 2020. hong kong is rushing to deal with a surge in covid cases. 1000 new beds for those with severe symptoms will soon be available here. these were the scenes last week outside hong kong s public hospitals. more than 60% of the elderly are unvaccinated. critics say the authorities were blindsided by this new way. it s overwhelmed hospitals and even patients waiting long hours outdoors.
some with high-powered rifles. but then we saw the dedication that is keeping this movement alive. the protesters continued their charge. peering around corners. dodging bullets. diving for cover. recovering their wounded under fire. they paid a price for it. we watched them come back, limping, on stretchers. some unconscious. others dead. the wounded were rushed to a nearby hotel. in the lobby, a nurse tends to one man. another couldn t be saved. it s a makeshift field hospital. short staffed with few supplies. a body left by the front desk. back outside, as the shooting subsided, the demonstrators moved to take new ground while they could. and build new barricades. and stockpile more weapons. molotov cocktails. it worked. the protesters expanded their
suddenly the police were in retreat. protesters in small groups advanced. but they were picked off. this man shot in the leg. police fired on demonstrators. some with high-powered rifles. but then we saw the dedication that is keeping this movement alive. the protesters continued their charge. peering around corners. dodging bullets. diving for cover. recovering their wounded under fire. they paid a price for it. we watched them come back, limping, on stretchers. some unconscious. others dead. the wounded were rushed to a nearby hotel. in the lobby, a nurse tends to one man. another couldn t be saved. it s a makeshift field hospital. short staffed with few supplies. a body left by the front desk. back outside, as the shooting subsided, the demonstrators moved to take new ground while
advanced. but they were picked off. this man shot in the leg. police fired on demonstrators. some with high-powered rifles. but then we saw the dedication that is keeping this movement alive. the protesters continued their charge. peering around corners. dodging bullets. diving for cover. recovering their wounded under fire. they paid a price for it. we watched them come back, limping, on stretchers. some unconscious. others dead. the wounded were rushed to a nearby hotel. in the lobby, a nurse tends to one man. another couldn t be saved. it s a makeshift field hospital. short staffed with few supplies. a body left by the front desk. back outside, as the shooting subsided, the demonstrators moved to take new ground while they could. and build new barricades.
makeshift field hospital. they were treating some of the wounded there. overnight supporters of the military, military police itself surrounded themselves around the building. that situation continues to unfold. the people inside the mosque refusing to come out. they simply don t trust the police, the military or their own security in the hands of those who have surrounded it. we went to the mosque earlier this morning. we saw the presence of plain clothes men wielding sticks and others. it is a dangerous and tense situation for those inside and also those on the outside with the uncertainty of what is going to happen in the coming hours. alex? i want to ask you quickly about an arrest that has been made. you reported this. you told our viewers about the brother of al zawahri. they did arrest the brother