People wear masks as they ride the mass transit rail (MTR) in Hong Kong on Dec 8, 2022. (ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong reported 14,717 new COVID-19 cases on Monday as 25 more infected patients passed away, health authorities said.
In a statement issued on Monday afternoon, the Centre for Health Protection said that the new cases included 14,013 local infections and 704 imported cases. The city reported 14,918 infections on Sunday.
The Centre for Health Protection said that the new cases included 14,013 local infections and 704 imported cases. The city reported 14,918 infections on Sunday
The 25 new reported deaths brought the city’s toll during the current fifth wave of infections to 10,771, the CHP added.
It said 34 residential care homes for the elderly and persons with disabilities had 83 new cases while 1,091 schools reported 3,491 students and 653 staff members testing positive for the virus.
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Seventeen schools had to suspend 20 in-person class for a week due to infections, the CHP added.
As of Monday, 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 imported cases in the city.
The CHP also said that 123 cases of sub-lineage XBB, 18 of XBD, one of BA.2.75.2, six of BF.7 and 143 of BQ.1.1 had also been detected among local cases.
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The center added that 58.39 percent of new cases verified from Dec 3 to 9 were linked to the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants.