Omicron Outbreak In HK May Have Peaked, Says CHP

Health officials on Thursday said this wave of Covid-19 outbreak had seemingly peaked, as they reported 31,402 new cases for the day.

The Centre of Health Protection said 24,390 of the new infections were confirmed in laboratories using PCR tests, while 7,012 cases were reported by patients who tested positive in self-administered rapid tests.

Albert Au of the CHP said it looked like the outbreak had peaked at the beginning of March and there were signs that infections were dropping.

“We have seen the peak around March 2 to 4, reaching over 50,000 cases per day. After that, there is a decrease in the number of positive PCR cases to around 30,000 from March 5 to 6, and then further decreased to a level of about 25,000 to 30,000 per day in the past four days,” he said.

“Judging from the PCR positive cases, we’re seeing a gradual decreasing trend and probably we’ve already reached the peak.”

However, he said people should stay vigilant and comply with social distancing rules, so as to cut off more transmission chains.

Meanwhile, the Hospital Authority (HA) said 180 Covid patients died over the past day, including a 48-year-old man who was otherwise healthy.

A chief manager of HA, Sara Ho, said the man tested positive for Covid in a rapid test on March 6.

He sought treatment at a public hospital two days later as he suffered from abdominal pain.

The patient developed sepsis subsequently and passed away.

She added that there were another 101 deaths that occurred earlier but had not been announced.

Ho noted that Fung Yiu King Hospital in Pokfulam would be converted into another designated hospital with 260 beds for Covid-19 patients from Friday.

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