By The SUN
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| Cowling says Omicron sub-variants are already spreading locally |
A top epidemiologist has asked why Hong Kong
is still maintaining strict border control when the Omicron sub-variants it is
supposedly guarding against have already entered the community and appear to be
spreading.
Speaking on a radio show this morning, Benjamin Cowling of the University of Hong Kong said sub-variants BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5 are already seen among local cases, so there is no longer a need to maintain tight controls over arriving travelers.
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He said border controls are needed only when a certain place has recorded zero local cases.
“With Hong Kong now recording over 100 imported cases daily, and that the sub-variants of Omicron already spreading in our society, is it really necessary for the border control measures to remain in place?” he asked.
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Cowling’s remarks came a day after the Centre for Health Protection said cases with the Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5 are now mostly untraceable, indicating they have taken root in the community.
The most common sub-variant, BA.2.12.1 has been seen in more than 500 cases since a couple from the United States inadvertently passed it on to locals, mainly while dining at a McDonald’s outlet in CityPlaza.
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A statement from the government said that as of yesterday, Jun 29, Hong Kong had recorded a total of 588 cases of BA.2.12.1 sub-variant, 19 of BA.2.12, 34 of BA.4 and 69 of BA.5.
At today’s press briefing, CHP’s Dr Albert Au reported a total of 2,358 infections, of which 162 were imported. They took the city’s coronavirus tally in the fifth wave to 1,233,166.
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Two Covid-related deaths were reported, involving two women, aged 85 and 98, taking the total tally to 9,188.
There are now a total of 692 patients receiving treatment in various public hospitals, of whom 90 were newly admitted. They include 12 patients in critical condition and 13 who are seriously ill.
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Of the imported cases, 74 were detected at the airport, 70 in quarantine hotels and 18 post-quarantine.
As the number of passengers who tested positive on arrival aboard Lufthansa German Airlines flight LH796 from Frankfurt on Jun 28 reached the specified limit, the flight will be suspended for five days, or from Jul 1 to 5.
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