Striking hospital staff urged to return to work

HONG KONG - More than 4,400 public hospital staff, including some 2,500 nurses and 350 doctors, took part in a strike on Tuesday, Hong Kong's Hospital Authority (HA) said.

According to HA, more than half of ICU nurses were absent from duty while half of radiation therapists and 30 percent of oncology nurses joined the strike.

HA authorities appealed to striking personnel to return to work, saying "everyone counts" in the battle against the deadly virus.

The strike, which is into its second day, is staged to demand a complete shutdown of Hong Kong's border.