HK May See Covid Rebound: CHP

Health officials on Thursday warned of a possible rebound in Covid-19 infections as it reported 489 cases for the day – 65 of which were imported.

Around two thirds of the latest infections were confirmed through self-reported RAT tests, and the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said some of them may be false positive cases.

On Wednesday, 505 infections were logged even though authorities said some of them subsequently tested negative in PCR tests.

Nevertheless, the CHP’s Chuang Shuk-kwan said authorities will monitor the pandemic situation closely, adding that people should exercise caution during the upcoming long weekend.

"If you must go to high-risk places [during the coming long weekend], please be fully vaccinated," she said.

Chuang said new outbreaks have emerged at another bar in Central, a school that held a dancing class on Sunday and a boarding school, involving a total of 28 patients.

She pointed out that 18 of the patients went to the LINQ bar on Pottinger Street last Friday and Saturday, and one of the patients had also been to the Iron Fairies bar – the centre of another outbreak.

Another six people, meanwhile, got infected after attending a jazz dancing class at Holy Trinity College in Shek Kip Mei on Sunday.

The third outbreak involved four students of Li Po Chun United World College in Wu Kai Sha, who lived in dormitories on different floors across two separate blocks.

There was one more Covid-related death involving a 64-year-old, chronically ill woman.

Separately, the Food and Health Bureau warned people not to submit false or dated rapid test results.

In a statement, it said six people have so far been suspected of deliberately providing false information, and three of them have already been arrested.

Officials earlier said they suspect the false reports may be motivated by efforts to sidestep third jabs – now a requirement for vaccine pass users.

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