Small Covid Clusters Not A Big Concern: Expert

An infectious diseases expert on Wednesday said small clusters of Covid infections – like the one linked to a McDonald’s restaurant – are expected and shouldn't have a big impact on the city’s overall pandemic situation.

Ho Pak-leung made the comment after eight people came down with BA.2.12.1 Omicron subvariant in the cluster involving the McDonald’s restaurant at Cityplaza.

Speaking on an RTHK programme, the University of Hong Kong microbiologist said the diners had received at least two Covid jabs, so there wasn't a high risk they would develop serious symptoms.

"It's still the Omicron virus, there isn't a lot of genetic mutation. So if people who caught the virus are vaccinated, we estimate the risk of them developing serious symptoms are more or less the same as those infected with the BA.2 virus, which is common during the fifth wave in Hong Kong," he said.

He added that Hong Kong’s Covid situation has been generally stable over the past few weeks.

"Overall, the daily caseload is around 200… there has been no obvious rebound in case numbers or huge clusters of infections,” he said.

“Hong Kong is gradually returning to normal. There's strict border control but it can't 100 percent block imported cases from getting into the community."