The fifth wave of the epidemic in Hong Kong continues to spread. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health announced today (17th) that the number of newly confirmed cases rose to 328, a new high this month. The number also rose to over 300 for the first time in the past 10 days.
The CHP also found a number of cases of people arriving in Hong Kong who were suspected to be infected in the local community after completing hotel quarantine.
After two of them returned to the community, they visited the Hung Hom billiards room "Xin Wang Club", where the epidemic broke out; the other, a 24-year-old woman who arrived in Hong Kong from Singapore, was found to be infected with a locally circulating strain of virus, and all three cases were classified as local infection case.
There were 328 new cases in Hong Kong today, of which 166 and 162 were positive after nucleic acid testing and rapid testing respectively.
The number of confirmed cases has increased by nearly 100 compared with yesterday, and it is also a new high since April 30 (363 confirmed cases on that day).
Imported cases accounted for 39 cases, and the patients were from the United States, Canada, Australia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Thailand and other countries.
The two positive samples on the 12th day are a 55-year-old man who arrived in Hong Kong from India with a CT value of 36 (ie low viral load); and a 34-year-old man who arrived in Hong Kong from Singapore and was diagnosed in March this year.
Both tested negative during the quarantine period, and the CHP estimated that both were positive cases.
▼On May 12, the Department of Health announced the outbreak of "Xinwanghui"▼
Two overseas arrivals contracted the virus after visiting Xinwanghui
As for the outbreak group of "Xinwanghui" in the Hung Hom snooker room, Au Ka-wing, chief doctor of the Infectious Diseases Division of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, said that there were two people who arrived in Hong Kong from overseas earlier, one from the Philippines and one on the 11th day. A person who tested positive for a quick test, and a person who arrived in Hong Kong from the United States and tested positive for nucleic acid on the 12th reported that they had visited Xinwanghui.
According to the full-gene analysis, it was confirmed that both of them were infected with locally circulating virus strains, that is, they completed quarantine and were infected after visiting Xinwanghui, so both cases were classified as local infections.
Woman arriving in Singapore suspected of community infection
In addition, a 24-year-old woman who arrived in Hong Kong by flight SQ894 from Singapore on April 22, completed hotel quarantine on April 29, developed symptoms on May 5, and tested positive on the 12th day of arrival, with CT value up to 24.
According to the results of the whole genetic analysis, it was found that it was similar to the locally circulating virus strain. It is estimated that she contracted the virus during community activities and was classified as a local infection case.
Au Jiarong pointed out, "It's not surprising, because there are 200 to 300 cases in Hong Kong every day, there are a large number of transmission chains in the community, and there is a chance to be infected in places with many people." He also pointed out that the authorities were concerned that the test was positive on the 12th day. For cases, it will be checked whether the relevant cases are imported, local or re-positive cases. If the CT value is low, it will also be checked for infection in the hotel, so all cases will be subjected to full-gene analysis.
BA.4 Imported cases increased to 7
Au Jiarong added that after a full genetic analysis, it was found that the 4 earlier imported cases carried the Omicron subvariant BA.4, involving a 34-year-old woman, a 42-year-old man and a 67-year-old man who arrived in Hong Kong from the United Kingdom, as well as a 34-year-old woman, a 42-year-old man and a 67-year-old man who arrived from Canada. 61 year old man.
So far, there have been 7 imported cases of BA.4 in Hong Kong, all of which were detected at the airport or in quarantine hotels. The cases detected earlier were from South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
8 Residents of Residential Homes for Disabled Persons Infected with Coronavirus Sent to Quarantine Center
In terms of infection cases in residential care homes, Au Jiarong pointed out that a residential care home for the disabled that had an infection case earlier reported that another employee was infected.
The newly infected employee works on one of the floors of the home and is mainly responsible for feeding and personal care. He wears masks and face shields during work. The last day to go to work is May 14, and he tested positive the next day.
On the floor where the patient works, there are eight uninfected residents in the fifth wave, and two colleagues are listed as close contacts and are subject to quarantine.
He said that the employee had taken adequate protective measures and the risk of transmission was low. However, because he had taken care of other residents in the same floor and the risk of outbreak in the home was high, he arranged for the uninfected residents to go to the quarantine center, while his colleagues were quarantined at home.
There were no new deaths from COVID-19 in Hong Kong yesterday, and the fifth wave of deaths reached 9,148. The case fatality rate remained at 0.765%, and the case fatality rate for people over 80 was 10.44%.
A female patient in the Severe Intellectual Disability Department of Siu Lam Hospital and a patient service assistant in the same ward were infected.
(file picture)
1 patient and 1 employee of the Severe Intellectual Disability Department of Xiaolan Hospital contracted the virus
In addition, Liu Jiaxian, Chief Administrative Manager (Quality and Standards) of the Hospital Authority, said that a female patient in the Severe Intellectual Disability Department of Siu Lam Hospital was diagnosed. She stayed in the hospital for a long time and did not go out during this period. She was visited by her relatives on May 8 and last Saturday. (14th) He had a fever and tested positive. He is currently undergoing isolation and treatment, and his condition is stable. The 7 patients in the same room are listed as close contacts and are subject to quarantine. The relatives who have visited have tested negative for nucleic acid.
According to the contact tracing of the infection control team of the hospital, it was found that a patient service assistant in the same ward was also diagnosed yesterday. Patients and staff have undergone nucleic acid tests to find out if there are other invisible patients.
▼On May 15, the "Yu Shan Private Kitchen" epidemic broke out in Kwun Tong Industrial Building▼
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