A couple walk through the rain at Nan Lian Garden in Hong Kong on June 2, 2022.
(ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong reported 4,547 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and four more elderly deaths, bringing the city’s toll after the fifth wave started to 9,331.
Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said at a news briefing that the new cases comprised 4,321 local infections and 226 imported cases.
Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said at a news briefing that the new cases comprised 4,321 local infections and 226 imported cases
“We have to keep this under observation as to whether it has peaked. It would take some time before we can be certain about it,” Chuang said.
Of the 226 imported cases, 118 were detected at the airport, 68 at quarantine hotels, and 40 after their quarantine.
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Chuang said 43 came from the United Kingdom, 31 from India, 23 from the Philippines, 17 from the United States, 16 from Singapore, and 12 from Thailand. The rest came from 36 other countries.
Chuang also said that six residential care homes for the elderly and persons with disabilities detected cases while 330 schools reported 356 students and 81 teaching staff members getting infected.
Five schools in Sha Tin, Sham Shui Po, Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, and Kwun Tong will suspend some in-person classes for one week due to infections, she added.
Lau Ka-hin, chief manager (quality and standards) of the Hospital Authority, said in the same briefing that the four elderly COVID patients who died included three men and one woman aged 84 to 89 years old.
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The 89-year-old woman, who had hypertension, breast cancer, and a heart condition, felt unwell for two days but did not get tested or seek medical attention. She was found unconscious at home yesterday and the doctors at the hospital were not able to revive her.
“This is a reminder to the general public that if you have any discomfort or fever, you should get tested as soon as possible,” Lau said.
He said 1,553 COVID patients were being treated at public hospitals as of Wednesday, including 164 new patients. Twenty were in critical condition, including six in intensive care units, while 24 were in serious condition.
Lau said “40 to 50” patients from medical and surgical wards in public hospitals have been transferred to private hospitals to free up more beds. Thirteen private hospitals earlier offered a total of 364 beds to accommodate patients from public hospitals.
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Lau also reminded the public that, starting Thursday, children as young as six months old can get their Sinovac jabs against the coronavirus while those aged 50 and above can have their fourth vaccine shot.