People walk through Chi Lin Nunnery in Hong Kong on June 2, 2022. (ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)
HONG KONG – Hong Kong reported 814 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday as health authorities investigated local infections suspected to have the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1.
Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said in a news briefing that the new cases included 106 imported infections and 708 local cases.
Health authorities were also investigating 16 more infections suspected to have the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1, including five in Taikoo Shing while the others were in Wan Chai, Ho Man Tin, Mong Kok, Yuen Long, and Tuen Mun
She added that 364 of the cases were confirmed through nucleic acid tests and 450 by rapid antigen tests.
There were 851 new cases recorded on Saturday and 672 on Friday. No new deaths were reported for the third consecutive day on Sunday.
Chuang said they were investigating 16 infections suspected to have the subvariant BA.2.12.1, including five in Taikoo Shing while the others were detected in Wan Chai, Ho Man Tin, Mong Kok, Yuen Long, and Tuen Mun.
The 106 imported cases included 64 that were detected at the airport, Chuang said, adding that the large number of imported infections might be due to “many more flights arriving in Hong Kong.”
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She said now new cases were detected in Linq and Shuffle bars in Central, indicating that the oubtreaks in these clubs were over.
“For Linq and Shuffle, we have not recorded new cases. That should be the end of the clusters,” Chuang said.
She said the cluster at Racks City bar on Wyndham Street also had no new infections while FLM bar in Sheung Wan had four more cases.
They involved a staff member and three patrons, bringing the cluster’s tally to 17, Chuang said.
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She said they advised a school in Ma Tau Chung to suspend a class after six of its students got infected while another class in a school in Po Lam reported four cases.
“They have 28 students in the class and again we also advised them to suspend face-to-face teaching for a week,” she said.
Lau Ka-hin, chief manager (quality and standards) of the Hospital Authority, said in the same briefing that 361 COVID-19 patients were being treated in public hospitals, the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, and the AsiaWorld Expo community treatment center.
He said 15 patients were in critical condition, including three in intensive care units, while seven were in serious condition.
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