Hong Kong confirms 24 new Covid-19 cases

Twenty-four new confirmed cases of Covid-19 are reported today, as the number picked up again after the city recorded just nine cases on Monday. 

The Centre for Health Protection announced all 24 are locally-transmitted cases, with 10 more preliminary infections.

Among the new cases, 14 of them are connected to previous confirmed cases, including 7 from the Hong Chi Lei Muk Shue Hostel for people with intellectual disabilities. The hostel has seen 10 confirmed cases so far. 

Chuang Shuk-kwan, Head of the Communicable Disease Branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said that cases with unknown sources include a personal driver, a security guard, restaurant staff and a customs officer.

She also added that it is still too soon to make a conclusion if Hong Kong should cancel the relaxing of social distancing rules given the current numbers.

Hospital Authority said in the past 24 hours, 445 Covid-19 patients are currently hospitalized, 27 patients in critical conditions, 34 patients in severe condition, and the remaining 384 patients are in stable condition.

One patient died today, and the death toll rises to 78 people.

53 Covid-19 confirmed patients were discharged from the hospital. So far, a total of 4,161 patients with confirmed or probable infection have been discharged.

At present, there are 675 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 220 negative pressure beds activated.