Public hospitals are prepared to handle any casualties arising from mass gatherings, Secretary for Food & Health Prof Sophia Chan said today.

Prof Chan told reporters after attending radio programmes this morning, that for the public events in Yuen Long, the Hospital Authority's New Territories West Cluster, including Pok Oi Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital, have taken into consideration the possible number of casualties.

“They have tried to increase the number of healthcare professionals as well as bed allocation. So that just in case there are casualties, they would be able to manage.”

She added that the authority’s head office will monitor the mass gathering situation.