No Sharp Rise In Covid Cases Since Mid-Autumn: CHP

Health authorities on Saturday reported 8,278 new Covid cases, as they noted recent daily infection numbers have remained at similar levels.

Of the latest infections, 8,149 were locally acquired and the remaining 129 imported.

Almost 2,700 patients are currently being treated in public hospitals, 56 of them in critical condition. Sixteen are in intensive care.

Albert Au from the Centre for Health Protection said officials have not seen a sharp rise in the number of locally acquired cases since the Mid-Autumn Festival.

"We were concerned earlier that following the Mid-Autumn Festival, during which people were having a lot of activities, [whether there would] be a rebound. It's been a week since, and we are looking at the numbers, we haven't seen any specific or dramatic rise in terms of numbers," he said.

"I think we have to leave it for a couple of days or a week before we can be certain whether we are hitting a plateau, or whether we are witnessing any decline. But we are not sure at the present moment."

Another 16 people with Covid have passed away, with the youngest being a four-year-old boy whose death was announced the day before.