HK reports lowest increase in virus cases since early July
HONG KONG - Hong Kong reported six new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the lowest daily increase since the city's third wave of infections started in early July, health officials said.
In a media briefing on Tuesday afternoon, a Centre for Health Protection official said the new infections included three local cases and three others from the Philippines and the Ukraine, pushing the city's overall tally to 4,895.
The CHP official added that two of the three local cases were detected under the city's Universal Community Testing Program.
According to the Hospital Authority, a 90-year-old man infected with the virus died at the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital on Tuesday morning, taking the city's COVID death toll to 98.
The deceased, who was hospitalized on July 23, was a resident at Salvation Army Lung Hang Residence for Senior Citizens in Tai Wai, which is related to at least 15 confirmed cases.
A total of 220 confirmed patients are currently being treated in 19 public hospitals and a community treatment facility. They include 21 patients in critical condition, 11 in serious condition, and 188 patients in stable condition, according to the Hospital Authority.
The only case with unknown origin was found through the UCTP and it involved a housewife who lived in Tuen Mun and had her swab samples collected on Sept 5.
An infection cluster related to Transport City Building in Tai Wai saw two more patients on Tuesday as a 50-year-old female cleaner and a relative of previously confirmed patients were found to be infected.
As of 8 pm Tuesday, a total of about 1,310,000 persons have registered for testing under the UCTP since the program was launched on September 1.
A total of about 1,030,000 specimens collected under the UCTP had also been tested. Specimens that test positive for COVID-19 will be referred to the Department of Health's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch for confirmatory tests. Confirmed cases will be followed up and announced by the CHP.
