Highest Number Of Unlinked Cases In New Wave Recorded

Health authorities said they were unable to trace 22 newly confirmed coronavirus cases, as they reported that Hong Kong added 129 cases on Lunar New Year’s Day.

"I think the number of 22 unlinked cases is the highest so far since the fifth wave," said Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection.

Chuang said the patients who have untraceable infections live across the territory, including in Sai Ying Pun, To Kwa Wan, Hung Hom, Cheung Sha Wan, Sha Tin and Tuen Mun.

She added that officials were still unable to find the source of infection for 98 cases.

In all, officials reported 102 locally transmitted cases and 27 imported ones on Tuesday.

Chuang said most of the local patients were infected with the Omicron variant, while nine others were believed to be carrying Delta.

She warned that there are signs that the Delta variant is spreading from Wong Tai Sin to other parts of east Kowloon.

As for the Kwai Chung Estate cluster, which has seen more than 400 infections, Chuang said two more households were hit with the coronavirus but there were signs that the outbreak there has subsided.

"I think the major outbreak in those two or three buildings have been largely brought down by the RTD (Restricted Testing Declaration), but we expect there are still some cases in the community from various districts," she said.

She added that officials are investigating about 90 preliminary positive Covid cases.