HK's Covid Cases And Death Toll Hit Record High

Hong Kong's coronavirus cases and daily death toll on Wednesday reached a record high as the Omicron outbreak continued. 

A total of 4,285 cases have been confirmed, with another 7,000 preliminary positive infections. 

Of the confirmed cases, all but 21 are locally-acquired.

Nine patients have died, including a 100-year-old woman, three people in their 90s, one in her 80s and two in their 70s.

A three-year-old girl and a 37-year-old chronically-ill man have also passed away. 

Infections were recorded at another 20 care homes for the elderly and the disabled. 

A general manager of the Hospital Authority, Sara Ho, said she's very sorry that some Covid patients had to wait for a long time in designated outdoor areas before they were admitted.

She conceded that the congestion situation is unfavorable and far from satisfactory, adding that hospitals are considering different ways to improve the situation. 

She added that non-emergency services have been cut by more than half to relieve the burden on the public medical system.

Ho said more than 4,000 patients are currently in public hospitals and isolation facilities – 17 of them critically ill.