Coronavirus: Hong Kong reports over 7,800 new Covid cases as cancellation of weekend race, woes for cross-harbour swim spark concern for events
- City reports 7,884 new infections including 207 cases from abroad and 14 deaths
- Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong 10K Championships cancelled after organisers told contestant numbers have to be cut to a fifth of expected turnout
Health authorities have not ruled out tightening social-distancing rules after daily coronavirus infections passed the 7,000 mark in Hong Kong for the first time since a rebound in cases in June, although government advisers suggest further restrictions are not required for now.
The cancellation on Wednesday of a weekend race and a possible similar fate for the annual cross-harbour swim amid Covid-19 caps on turnout also sparked concern over the status of major sporting events scheduled to be held in the city.
Health officials reported 7,884 new infections including 207 imported cases, the highest since March 28 and 14 more deaths were recorded. Hong Kong has recorded six straight days with more than 6,000 cases, with Wednesday’s caseload jumping by 1,230 infections from Tuesday.
Officials also reported that a small cluster linked to a wedding banquet on Saturday involved six doctors from various hospitals although no patients were classed as close contacts. Four work at Kwong Wah Hospital, one at Queen Mary Hospital and the other at Princess Margaret Hospital.
Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection warned that daily infections might reach 10,000 and expressed concern over the strain on the healthcare system.
“The proportion of cases involving the Omicron subvariant BA. 5 has been rapidly rising, which is possibly one of the reasons the increase in the number of infections has accelerated. Based on the current speed, it is not impossible there will be over 10,000 cases a day,” she said.
“If the upwards trend continues and affects the burden on the healthcare system, [the government] does not rule out the possibility of tightening social-distancing measures, which we do not wish to do.”
Chuang said the proportion of cases involving subvariants BA. 4 and BA. 5 had reached 40.8 per cent on Sunday, adding that overseas experience showed BA. 5 cases could account for 60 per cent or more of overall infections due to its transmittable nature.