Among the cases, 2,856 were locally transmitted, while the remaining 172 were imported cases, according to the Centre for Health Protection’s Chuang Shuk-kwan.

Forty-nine of 98 imported cases detected at the airport arrived from the United Kingdom, 57 tested positive at quarantine hotels, and 17 were patients who tested positive after completing the seven-day isolation. The caseload of the fifth wave now exceeds 1.249 million.

The center identified 17 cases carrying the BA.4 or BA.5, of which two were of unknown origin. Forty-two BA.2.12.1 Omicron subvariant cases were reported today as well, of which 28 were of unknown origin.

Chuang said the number of patients carrying BA.4 or BA.5 subvariant continued going up and that according to the latest figures from the WHO, BA.5 is replacing other strains of the virus to become the most widely spread strain in the world.

The number of patients found to be carrying BA.5 has grown from 37 percent to 52 percent of the overall infections, while those carrying BA.4 also increased from 11 percent to 12 percent. Instead, BA.2.12.1 infections were seen to decrease.

A total of 201 positive cases were reported by 180 schools, including 163 students and 38 staff members.

Cannan Kindergarten (Hong Kong) and Ma On Shan Ling Liang Primary School each had one class suspended.

Two other residential care homes reported new infections involving three residents and one staff member.

Hospital Authority’s chief manager Gladys Kwan Wai-man reported another Covid-related death involving an unvaccinated 79-year-old woman. The death tally now stands at 9,194.

Public hospitals and treatment facilities are now housing 861 patients. Twelve are in critical condition, 15 are in serious condition, and one is in the hospital intensive care unit.