Among the new cases, 3,906 were locally transmitted, while the other 224 infections were imported cases, including 129 detected at the airport, 77 at quarantine hotels, and 18 in local communities after the patients completed seven-day isolation.

The Hospital Authority reported three related deaths involving one man and two women aged 71 to 96. The death tally of the fifth wave now stands at 9,259.

The center was also informed of 1,112 positive cases from 649 schools involving 941 students and 171 teachers and staffers.

Eight schools had classes suspended for a week after the students and teachers caught Covid. They included Yan Chai Hospital Law Chan Chor Si Primary School, S.T.F.A. Lee Shau Kee College, Saint Rose of Lima's School, Po Leung Kuk Tin Ka Ping Primary School, Ho Ngai College (Sponsored By Sik Sik Yuen), Tseung Kwan O Government Secondary School, Lam Tin Methodist Primary School and Creative Primary School.

Class 5Y of Wah Yan College, which had three students infected earlier, reported another new case on Monday. The school reported today that more than ten other students have tested positive, involving those from its volleyball class and the school choir.

There are so far four cases detected from its volleyball class, along with 15 from the school choir. Health authorities said the transmission within the school choir may have occurred on a July 20 practice despite all students have worn masks.

Hospital Authority's chief manager Gladys Kwan Wai-man said hospitals have recently seen several infection groups and the visitation arrangement is still under discussion. She said they may also tighten visitation requirements of the Social Welfare Department.

Kwan acknowledged that the nucleic acid testing requirements may bring inconvenience to family members, also noting that emergencies will be handled with flexibility, in which visitors in such cases can first take a RAT test, and then make up for the nucleic acid test later.

She expected the new arrangement for hospital visitors to not affect staff efficiency, adding that she understood the importance of visitation to the recovery of patients, and that authorities have no plan to suspend all visits for the time being.

Meanwhile, six residential care homes reported new infections, including three elderly care homes and three care homes for people with disabilities.

Public hospitals and treatment facilities are now housing 1,409 Covid patients. Among them, 30 are in critical condition, 21 are in serious condition, and two are in hospital intensive care units.