Among the new cases, 4,455 were locally transmitted while the other 179 were imported cases, Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said.

Gladys Kwan Wai-man, Hospital Authority's chief manager for clinical effectiveness and technology management, added one related death involving an 82-year-old man, pushing the death tally of the fifth wave to 9,260.

Dancer "Mo" Li Kai-yin's parents arrived in Hong Kong this morning from Toronto and were arranged for a compassionate visit the same day after getting the negative Covid test results.

Chuang said compassionate visit arrangements have been in place in public hospitals throughout the outbreak to allow family members to visit critically ill patients or whose condition has suddenly deteriorated. They may also apply for temporary leave from quarantine hotels to attend the funeral of their families.

Visitors must present negative nucleic acid test results within 48 hours, or negative rapid test results within 24 hours with negative nucleic acid results returned within two days after the visit.

In critical cases, Chuang said it does not matter if both tests were not yet performed, as they can make up the rapid test results after the visit and return the nucleic acid results within two days.

She said from April 1 last year to March 31 this year, the authorities have approved 1,240 such applications. She stressed that her colleagues will do their best to meet the needs of the family and will communicate with them to understand their needs.

Another elderly care home reported a new infection, involving one resident. Seven residents need to be quarantined.

Public hospitals and treatment facilities are now housing 1,494 Covid patients. Among them, 21 are in critical condition, 27 are in serious condition, and 12 are in hospital intensive care units. In the past 24 hours, 138 patients have recovered from Covid, and 125 of them have been discharged.