HONG KONG – Hong Kong today reported 32,597 new novel coronavirus cases and 172 COVID-19-related deaths.
The infection figure is lower than the 34,466 reported yesterday, but Dr Albert Au Ka-wing of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said at a press conference this might be due to fewer people doing PCR tests at the government's testing stations after authorities announced that rapid antigen test results are now recognised.
He noted that the CHP's infection figures might not reflect the current pandemic situation as some people with COVID-19 might have tested positive in rapid tests without reporting this to the authorities.
Au added that some people infected with the novel coronavirus have mild or no symptoms, so they might not think to get tested at all.
He added that while cases have been reported from all districts across the city, Yuen Long, Sha Tin and Sham Shui Po have seen relatively higher infection numbers.
Meanwhile, the Hospital Authority (HA) said 117 COVID-19 patients died over the past day.
It also announced another 55 deaths which occurred between February 23 and February 27.
More than 800 COVID-19 patients have died so far during the Omicron outbreak.
As public mortuaries are reaching capacity, authorities say they have borrowed space from the private sector to store bodies, while work to expand Fu Shan Public Mortuary in Sha Tin will be sped up.
Macau's COVID-19 tally stands at 81, with no fatalities. – RTHK, MPD
