Hong Kong public hospitals will extend visiting hours at all rehabilitation and palliative wards from five to nine hours a day by the end of July, with those in central Kowloon and New Territories West expected to roll out the arrangement this month.

Danny Tong Wah-kun, the Hospital Authority’s chief manager of nursing, said the authority would also enable round-the-clock visits at all paediatric wards by the end of July, adding to an existing arrangement for one carer to stay overnight in...