HK Adds Another 1,325 Covid Infections

Hong Kong saw 1,325 new coronavirus infections on Friday, and with over 1,500 preliminary positive cases reported for the day, health officials said the city's outbreaks have yet to peak.

The number of new confirmed infections topped the previous record of 1,161 cases reported on Wednesday.

The Centre for Health Protection said most cases confirmed in recent days were from Sham Shui Po, Sha Tin and Tuen Mun.

Another two people have died of Covid - an 86-year-old man at Yan Chai Hospital and an 88-year-old woman at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Two unvaccinated patients were said to be in a critical condition, with another 11 seriously sick.

The centre's Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said there have been outbreaks at several elderly homes across Hong Kong and residents have had to be sent to quarantine.

She said the new cases now mostly stem from Lunar New Year gatherings last week and it remains to be seen whether tightened social distancing measures will be effective.

Meanwhile, officials reported Covid outbreaks at the obstetrics ward of Tuen Mun Hospital and the general medical ward at Sha Tin Hospital.

More than 40 staff members at the Hospital Authority have tested preliminary positive for the virus.

The authority's chief manager, Dr Larry Lee, said all clinical staff will be asked to do rapid coronavirus tests to try to prevent any further outbreaks in hospitals.