It is clear to see the epidemic has been alleviated, claimed Albert Au Ka-wing, Principal Medical and Health Officer of the Communicable Disease Branch of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health.

“We expect coronavirus will linger in the community and will have certain transmissions,” he added. “Before the fifth wave, we could do Covid Zero. After the fifth wave, this is not necessarily feasible.”

The Hospital Authority will gradually resume non-emergency services in public hospitals, Chief Manager (Medical Grade) of the HA Gladys Kwan Wai-man said.

She added that public hospitals now accommodate 2,290 Covid patients, including 245 newly admitted patients, 49 in critical and 41 in severe conditions.

A total of 345 patients have recovered from Covid, and 305 have been discharged, while the city recorded 9721 deaths amid the fifth wave of the epidemic.

Among the 17 fatalities of nine men and eight women, aged 55 to 99, 12 had not received three vaccines, said Kwan.

She also confirmed that 746 cases were reported from 520 schools involving 636 students and 110 faculty members. 18 schools need to suspend classes for one week.

Seven cases were reported in seven care homes for the elderly and the disabled, involving 28 residents needing to receive nucleic acid tests.

Au added only a few people would show adverse reactions to receiving Covid vaccines, calling on citizens not to be reluctant to get inoculated, as the city logged new cases of doctors arrested over abusing vaccine exemption certificates.