A couple visits a viewing deck before the city skyline in Hong Kong on March 29, 2022. (DALE DE LA REY / AFP)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong recorded 2,358 new COVID-19 cases and two new reported deaths on Thursday, bringing the city’s death toll during the fifth wave to 9,188.
Albert Au Ka-wing, principal medical and health officer of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease branch, said in a press briefing that the new cases included 2,196 local cases and 162 imported infections.
Lau Ka-hin, chief manager (quality and standards) of the Hospital Authority, said in the same briefing that the two new reported deaths involved two female COVID-19 patients, aged 85 and 98 and who had chronic diseases
He added that 893 of the local cases were confirmed through nucleic acid testing while 1,373 were detected by rapid antigen tests.
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Au also said that the imported infections included 74 that were detected at the airport, 70 confirmed during hotel quarantine, and 18 identified after quarantine.
There were 192 reported cases from 142 schools while eight infections of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 were confirmed, including six that were untraceable, Au said.
He added that health authorities also detected 28 suspected BA.4 or BA.5 cases, including nine that were untraceable.
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Lau Ka-hin, chief manager (quality and standards) of the Hospital Authority, said in the same briefing that the new reported deaths involved two female COVID-19 patients, aged 85 and 98 and who had chronic diseases.
The 85-year-old patient had dementia and passed away after suffering a stroke. The 98-year-old woman had colon cancer and her condition deteriorated and she died on Wednesday, Lau said.
He said 692 COVID-19 patients being treated in public hospitals as of Thursday, including 115 new patients.
Lau added that 12 were in critical condition, including three in intensive care units, and 13 in serious condition.
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