By The SUN
 |
| Penny's Bay is among places where patients with subvariants are taken for isolation |
Health officials said today, Wednesday, that Covid-19 patients infected with Omicron subvariants will now be allowed to quarantine or isolate at home, if their living conditions allow this.
Previously, all those found to carry the BA.2.12.1, BA.4 or BA.5 subvariants were all automatically sent to quarantine or isolation facilities such as the one in Penny’s Bay.
Speaking at today’s press briefing, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of
the Centre for Health Protection said that as of yesterday, 1,093 cases
involving Ba.2.12.1 and 372 of BA.4 or BA.5 had been detected in
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
“We have looked at these cases. The severity of these cases compared to (the prevalent strain) BA2.2. showed little difference,” said Chuang.
And although the World Health Organization has said that BA.5 is more transmissible, it has not seen any abnormal severity in the cases involving the subvariant, she added.
Chuang reported a total of 3,805 new Covid infections, of which 180 were imported.
 |
Asked why the tally remained far off from the 6,000 that the government had forecast for this week, Chuang said the number of cases is still on the rise.
“Our view is that it will continue to climb,” she said, adding public hospitals remain concerned that any significant rise in the numbers could overwhelm the public health care system.
She said 364 new infections were reported by 299 schools involving 293 students and 71 teachers and staffers. Two schools were told to suspend certain classes where at least two infections were found.
 |
| Press for details |
Of the imported cases, she said 68 were detected at the airport, 102 at quarantine hotels, and 10 were found after the patients had ended their seven-day isolation.
Among the countries from where the imported cases were
found, the
Hospital Authority’s Dr Larry Lee reported one Covid-19 related death, which pushed the death tally in the fifth wave up to 9,235.
 |
| PRESS FOR MORE DETAILS |
The 67-year-old male patient who tested positive on Jul 16, was taken by ambulance to
Lee said the man had three vaccine jabs and suffered from hypertension and diabetes. His case has been referred to the Coroner for further investigation.
A total of 1,207 Covid patients are now being treated in public hospitals. They include 17 who are in critical condition while 32 are seriously ill. Five of the critically ill patients are in intensive care units.
 |
| PADALA NA! |
 |
 |
| CALL US! |
