Omicron: Hong Kong confirms 140 new cases as expert says fifth wave may take 3 months to contain – and forget about easing social-distancing rules for Lunar New Year
- Top government pandemic adviser says the ‘escalating’ fifth wave of cases may take two to three months to contain
- Outbreak at Kwai Chung Estate has now hit 173 cases, including preliminary-positive infections
The alarming development came as a top government pandemic adviser warned the “escalating” fifth wave of cases could take two to three months to contain, while easing social-distancing measures around the Lunar New Year holiday was impossible.
Sunday’s daily figure was the highest since July 30, 2020, when 149 cases were recorded, the most the city had logged in a single day, at the height of the third Covid-19 wave.
But unlike 1½ years ago, when daily caseloads were already in triple figures for a week before peaking, it took just one day this time for the number of infections to rise fivefold from a relatively low 26 on Saturday.
Of the infections confirmed on Sunday, 125 were locally transmitted, including 17 outside the estate and four with unknown sources. The other 15 were imported.
The estate outbreak, including preliminary-positive infections, has now hit 173 cases.
Officials had detected 126 and 41 infections, respectively, at the estate’s Yat Kwai House and Ying Kwai House by 12pm on Sunday, according to Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee, who said five-day lockdowns at each building would continue as scheduled.