By The SUN
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| So far, the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants have not been seen to be more severe or infectious |
Health authorities have reported detecting BA.5, a new
Omicron variant that is being monitored by the World Health Organization in a male
traveler from
Speaking at today’s press briefing on the Covid-19 situation, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Center for Health Protection said the 24-year-old patient tested negative at the airport but positive on day 3 and 4 of his stay at a quarantine hotel.
He developed symptoms on Saturday, including low-grade fever and coughing, but has now recovered and is continuing his stay in an isolation hotel.
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Chuang said the WHO has yet to determine whether the BA.5, along with BA.4 which is also being monitored, are more severe or transmissible, but Hong Kong will continue to keep an eye on them.
Meanwhile, 23 new imported cases were detected among a total of 1,043 new Covid-19 infections reported today. The overall tally from the Omicron outbreak is now at 1,182,707.
The patients had flown in from
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Among them, 15 arrived yesterday and tested positive at the airport, while 8 were detected while in hotel quarantine.
Of the new cases, 579 were detected from PCR tests while 464 were reported by people who did self-tests.
Hospital Authority’s Dr Larry Lee also reported 54 more deaths linked to Covid, including 33 people who died at public hospitals in the past 24 hours.
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They took the death toll from the fifth wave to 8,789, pushing the fatality rate to 0.74%.
The number of patients still being treated at public hospitals and infection treatment facilities has fallen to 8,702.
However, 58 are in intensive care including the seven who were classified as critical today, while 13 are in serious condition.
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Chuang reminded everyone to pay attention to personal hygiene and practice social distancing ahead of tomorrow’s start of the Easter holidays.
She also warned of a possible rebound in the infection figures when the gathering restrictions are eased starting on Apr 21.
