26th September 2022 – (Hong Kong) The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am today, the CHP was investigating 3,846 additional locally acquired cases that tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, comprising 1,002 cases that tested positive by nucleic acid tests (477 confirmed cases, 444 asymptomatic cases and 81 cases with pending status) and 2,844 cases that tested positive by rapid antigen tests (RATs) in the past 24 hours.
Separately, 188 additional imported cases were reported, including 158 cases that tested positive by nucleic acid tests (five confirmed cases, 117 asymptomatic cases and 36 cases with pending status) and 30 cases that tested positive by RATs.
Hong Kong has recorded a total of 945,643 and 803,891 cases that have tested positive by nucleic acid tests and RATs respectively for the COVID-19 virus so far.
Among the specimens received by the DH’s Public Health Laboratory Services Branch during 17th to 23rd September for verification testing of local cases, about 3.4 per cent and 86.1 per cent of them (seven-day moving average) are related to the sub-lineages BA.2.12.1 and BA.4/BA.5 (including suspected cases) of the Omicron mutant strain respectively.
The Hospital Authority added 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 infected patients who died in public hospitals. As of 0.00am today, a total of 9,915 death cases that had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus during the fifth wave (since 31st December, 2021) were recorded, with 9,831 and 81 deaths reported from the Hospital Authority and public mortuaries respectively as well as three deaths reported from the Chinese University of Hong Kong Medical Centre. Hong Kong has so far recorded a total of 10,128 death cases that tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
In terms of residential care homes, 2 new cases were recorded in 2 residential care homes for the handicapped and a total of 2 residents were infected with the virus. Therefore, 18 residents were classified as close contacts and required to undergo quarantine.
As for schools, a total of 687 schools reported a total of 1,280 cases involving 1,116 students and 164 staff. In addition, a total of 29 classes in 26 schools will be suspended for seven days.
Furthermore, among the earlier cases by nucleic acid tests reported, there were cases (including pending cases) changed to confirmed, asymptomatic or re-positive cases. As at yesterday (25th September), the total number of confirmed cases was 412 181, while the figures for asymptomatic cases, re-positive cases and pending/unknown cases recorded since 1st January were 290,436, 31 and 241,835 respectively.
