Hong Kong reports record 351 confirmed cases on Saturday

Hong Kong reported record-breaking 351 confirmed Covid-19 cases on Saturday, marking the highest daily number ever since the pandemic outbreak over the past two years. 

The new cases reported today pushed the Covid tally straight to 15,066. 

Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection said only eight cases were imported from overseas, and the other 343 were all local cases. Among the local cases, 161 were listed as unknown source cases. Most patients carried the highly infectious Omicron variant, while 24 cases involved the Delta variant. 

Some 200 preliminary positive cases were reported as well. 

Chuang pointed out that another resident living in unit 29 at Hing Ping House at Tai Hing Estate in Tuen Mun was infected in the lockdown last night, triggering health authorities to evacuate all residents living in unit 29 of that building. 

Two residents from unit C at the building on 104 Fuk Wing Street tested positive. As units A and C shared the same air shaft, residents living in that two units of that building will be sent to quarantine as well. 

Infections were also detected at Sau Tai House at Fu Tai Estate in Tuen Mun, and residents living in unit 8 from the first floor to the 10/F, those in units 8 and 9 on the 39/F and 40/F will also be evacuated. 

Vertical transmission suspectedly took place at Leung Chi House at Leung King Estate in Tuen Mun and Po Ning House at Po Lam Estate in Tseung Kwan O, according to Chuang. 

Meanwhile, Chuang reported that Yuen Long Plaza will be closed for disinfection after several cleaners, security guards, and workers were infected with Covid-19. 

The government also found that six patients had previously visited an Islamic Mosque, Hazrat Siddique Akbar Society, in Sham Shui Po and worshiped there. 

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee expected the case number would surge exponentially following more possible clusters triggered by family gatherings during the Lunar New Year holidays. 

She referred to the sewage samples, which returned positive for Covid-19 and cases were continuously detected at certain residential blocks and called on the public to fight the worrying pandemic development by staying at home.