Among the 16 deaths of 12 men and four women aged from 47 to 99, nine were triple-vaccinated. Ten deaths are believed to have been related to Covid; two were residents in care homes, said Larry Lee Lap-yip, Chief Manager (Integrated Clinical Services) of the Hospital Authority.

According to Lee, the 30-year-old man confirmed as the city’s first monkeypox case was in stable condition and had no need for treatments with special medicines.

“The first batch of monkeypox vaccines will be purchased in September and arrive in Hong Kong,” said Chuang Shuk-kwan, Head of the Communicable Disease Branch of the Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health, adding more vaccines will be introduced if needed.

Chuang also confirmed that 1,361 cases were reported from 799 schools involving 1,140 students and 221 faculty members. 22 schools need to suspend classes for one week.

The existing social distancing measures will be extended to September 21, authorities announced, citing the current measures as being in effect until September 8.

Public hospitals now accommodate 2,870 new Covid-19 patients, including 342 newly admitted, 50 in critical conditions, and 55 with severe symptoms.

Hospital Authority noted 160 staff were diagnosed with Covid on Wednesday, while 67 employees have returned to work after being discharged from hospitals.