People get on a taxi designated to provide free transportation services to designated clinics for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms, in Hong Kong on Feb 18, 2022. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong registered 20,252 new coronavirus infections on Friday, as 46 more people died after catching the virus, according to the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health.
Among Friday’s new cases, 19,328 were locally acquired, comprising 4,475 cases that tested positive by nucleic acid and 14,853 detected by rapid antigen tests (RATs).
The latest 46 deaths pushed the city’s tally of fatalities from the coronavirus infection to 11,373 since the beginning of the pandemic
Of the 924 imported cases, 518 involved samples taken at the Hong Kong International Airport, 301 involved samples taken during day 1 to day 3 of their arrival, and the remaining 105 from day 4 to day 7.
ALSO READ: COVID rules reflect ground realities
Currently, 4,309 patients, including 650 new ones, remain hospitalized for treatment. Among them, there are 24 newly reported critical patients and 32 newly reported serious patients.
As of Thursday, the Department of Health’s Public Health Laboratory Services Branch had identified 226 cases of sub-lineage XBB, six of XBD, eight of BA.2.75.2, seven of BA.4.6, 13 of BF.7 and 38 of BQ.1.1 among the imported cases.
ALSO READ:HK to further ease COVID-19 curbs as CE heads to Beijing
Additionally, 153 cases of sub-lineage XBB, 18 of XBD, one of BA.2.75.2, 11 of BF.7 and 179 of BQ.1.1 have been detected among locally transmitted cases.
The latest 46 deaths pushed the city’s tally of fatalities from the coronavirus infection to 11,373 since the beginning of the pandemic.