China's Xi says Hong Kong needs to stabilise and control Covid surge

COVID infections have surged 20 times on a daily basis since the start of February and Carrie Lam has said authorities can no longer keep up with testing and isolation mandates

China's President Xi Jinping has told Hong Kong's government to stabilise and control a deepening COVID-19 outbreak in the global financial hub as soon as possible, pro-Beijing media reported on Wednesday.

The directive increases pressure on authorities scrambling to keep pace with a deluge of new infections in the financial hub.

Xi instructed Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng to relay to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam his "concern about the pandemic situation" and his care for local residents, according to front page stories in newpapers Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao.

Both media, which typically support Beijing's interests in Hong Kong,