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Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
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Two PCR tests for medics every week as HK sees 3,574 Covid case
Hong Kong reported 3,574 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, while medics with high exposure risk to the coronavirus will face two PCR tests every week starting from next Monday.
Among the new cases, 3,358 were locally transmitted, including 1,393 confirmed via PCR tests and 1,965 verified positive RAT test results, according to Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection.
The other 216 infections were imported cases, 76 detected at the airport, 109 at quarantine hotels, and 31 in local communities after the patients completed seven-day isolation. Sixty cases were imported from the UK, 19 from Singapore, 19 from the US, 13 from the Philippines, and 11 from Australia.
The Hospital Authority's chief patient safety and risk management manager Sara Ho Yuen-ha reported five related deaths, including a man and four women aged 64 to 90.
One of them received the booster jab, and the three others two Covid shots each. The remaining one was unvaccinated. A female patient passed away in the Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital on Thursday, while the other four were all cancer and chronic disease patients.
The death tally of the fifth wave now stands at 9,219.
Ho continued that adding two extra PCR tests every week for medics with high exposure risk aims to minimize the possibility of cross-infection. The move came as the outbreak cluster at Buddhist Hospital triggered fear, where eight patients and five workers have been infected at this point.
Still, medics must conduct daily RAT tests apart from the two extra PCR tests.
Three elderly homes, one nursery, and two care centers for the disabled reported new infections. They included Shung Tak Old Age Home Far East Branch, Eternal Almshouse in Yuen Long, Friendly Home for the Aged in Tuen Mun, Yan Chai Nursing Home in Tsuen Wan, Haven of Hope Sau Mau Ping Day Activity Centre & Hostel, and Po Leung Kuk Y.C. Cheng Centre in Tai Wai.
The center was also informed of 323 positive cases involving 263 students and 60 teachers and staffers from 58 kindergartens, 122 primary schools, 70 secondary schools, and eight special schools.
On the other hand, the center reported 38 cases of the BA.2.12.1 Omicron subvariant and 20 cases of the BA.4 or BA.5 subvariants.
Public hospitals and treatment facilities are now housing 1,082 Covid patients. Among them, 23 are in critical condition, 24 are in serious condition, and seven are in hospital intensive care units.
The other 216 infections were imported cases, 76 detected at the airport, 109 at quarantine hotels, and 31 in local communities after the patients completed seven-day isolation. Sixty cases were imported from the UK, 19 from Singapore, 19 from the US, 13 from the Philippines, and 11 from Australia.
The Hospital Authority's chief patient safety and risk management manager Sara Ho Yuen-ha reported five related deaths, including a man and four women aged 64 to 90.
One of them received the booster jab, and the three others two Covid shots each. The remaining one was unvaccinated. A female patient passed away in the Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital on Thursday, while the other four were all cancer and chronic disease patients.
The death tally of the fifth wave now stands at 9,219.
Ho continued that adding two extra PCR tests every week for medics with high exposure risk aims to minimize the possibility of cross-infection. The move came as the outbreak cluster at Buddhist Hospital triggered fear, where eight patients and five workers have been infected at this point.
Still, medics must conduct daily RAT tests apart from the two extra PCR tests.
Three elderly homes, one nursery, and two care centers for the disabled reported new infections. They included Shung Tak Old Age Home Far East Branch, Eternal Almshouse in Yuen Long, Friendly Home for the Aged in Tuen Mun, Yan Chai Nursing Home in Tsuen Wan, Haven of Hope Sau Mau Ping Day Activity Centre & Hostel, and Po Leung Kuk Y.C. Cheng Centre in Tai Wai.
The center was also informed of 323 positive cases involving 263 students and 60 teachers and staffers from 58 kindergartens, 122 primary schools, 70 secondary schools, and eight special schools.
On the other hand, the center reported 38 cases of the BA.2.12.1 Omicron subvariant and 20 cases of the BA.4 or BA.5 subvariants.
Public hospitals and treatment facilities are now housing 1,082 Covid patients. Among them, 23 are in critical condition, 24 are in serious condition, and seven are in hospital intensive care units.
