Residents dine at a restaurant in Tseung Kwan O on April 21, 2022. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong reported 5,190 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday as the death of seven more patients brought the city’s COVID death toll during the fifth wave to 9,893.
Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said in a news briefing that the new infections comprised 5,038 local cases and 152 imported ones.
Fifty-nine of the imported cases were detected at the airport, 55 at quarantine hotels or centers, and 38 at community testing centers, according to Chuang.
Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said in a news briefing that the new infections comprised 5,038 local cases and 152 imported ones
The imported cases came from 33 countries, including more than 10 cases each from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Singapore.
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The BA.5 strain accounted for 80.2 percent of new cases while the previously dominant strain BA2.2 was linked to 9.9 percent. BA.4 cases accounted for 6.7 percent and BA.2.12.1 had 3.2 percent.
Chuang also said eight residential care homes reported a total of 14 positive cases and 41 residents classified as close contacts are under quarantine.
When asked whether the government would further relax COVID restrictions, Chuang said that the administration aims to reduce inconvenience to residents and travelers while putting the pandemic under control.
"The COVID situation is stabilizing. The government will make announcements as soon as possible when there is room for furhter relaxing COVID curbs," Chuang said.
Gladys Kwan, Chief Manager (Clinical Effectiveness and Technology Management) of the HA, said in the same briefing that the seven patients who died aged between 72 and 93. Four of them had not completed the COVID vaccination course.
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