Two women sit on a bench overlooking the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on Sept 29, 2022. (ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong’s daily COVID-19 cases reached 21,256 on Christmas Day as 50 more infected patients succumbed to the virus, according to the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health.
The latest COVID-related deaths brought the city’s total fatalities to 11,249 during the current wave of infections, or 11,462 since the pandemic began, according to the CHP.
As of Sunday, 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 had been identified among the city’s imported cases
Sunday’s new cases comprised 20,291 local infections and 964 imported cases. The city reported 21,362 infections on Christmas Eve and 20,252 the day before.
Of the 964 imported cases, 516 were detected at the Hong Kong International Airport, 324 during the first and third days of their landing in Hong Kong, and the remaining 124 involved samples collected during days 4 to 7, the CHP said.
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As of Sunday, 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 had been identified among the city’s imported cases.
Also, 154 cases of sub-lineage XBB, 18 of XBD, one of BA.2.75.2, 12 of BF.7, and 185 of BQ.1.1 had also been detected among local cases.
The center added that around 52.36 percent of COVID cases verified between Dec 16 and 22 were linked with the BA.4 or BA.5 Omicron sub-variants.
Meanwhile, the Hospital Authority said that 4,483 COVID patients were being treated at public hospitals, including 595 new admissions.
The HA said 2,925 patients required isolation, 583 needed oxygen therapy, and 79 received ventilator support.
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One hundred seventy-nine COVID-19 patients were in serious condition and 161 in critical condition, including 46 under intensive care, the HA added.
It also said that, since Dec 19, five patients in the orthopaedics and traumatology rehabilitation ward of the Rehabilitation Block of Tuen Mun Hospital have tested positive for COVID-19 with symptoms. All infected patients are being treated under isolation and are in stable condition, the HA added.