Numbers are just a fraction of potential infections and mortality
Deadly and serious Covid-19 infections have nearly doubled in Hong Kong in two weeks, but experts say there’s no reason to be alarmed.
HONG KONG: The number of fatal and severe cases of Covid-19 in Hong Kong last week was almost double the tally recorded in the past seven days, health officials said.
But experts on Friday stressed that the death rate is small compared to the number of potential daily infections.
The news came when it was announced that a 13-year-old girl who had been in critical condition with the flu had died.
The Center for Health Protection said in its weekly report there were 119 Covid-19 cases that caused death or serious illness between April 23 and 29, compared with 63 the previous week. .
The number of severe or fatal infections recorded in the first four days of the week has already reached 69, he added.
However, Dr. Leung Chi-chiu, an expert in respiratory medicine, said the number of deaths and severe cases from Covid-19 is expected to rise, given that 20,000 people could be infected each day and there is no need to worry. I said less.
He explained that his calculations were based on a University of Hong Kong study in which 10,000 people underwent rapid antigen tests in a week.
The estimated daily rate of positive results has recently been around 2.
“The overall mortality rate is much lower than in the past. Data from around the world shows that the mortality rate has dropped by 95% since January,” Leung said.
“Now, the number of severe cases and deaths appear to be high because testing is much less frequent and only cases with severe symptoms are detected.”
A total of 2,400 coronavirus infections were detected by polymerase chain reaction tests last week, up from 1,615 in the previous seven days.
There were 56 outbreaks in schools and nursing homes last week, affecting 306 people, compared with 28 outbreaks the previous week.
The government said on its Facebook “Tamar Talk” page that it had recorded 224 coronavirus-related deaths and 16,101 cases since the quarantine order was lifted on January 30.
The figure surpassed figures reported during the city’s first and fourth waves of the pandemic, which had 213 coronavirus-related deaths and 12,631 Covid-19 infections.
The fifth wave of the pandemic reported more than 2.86 million coronavirus infections, with 13,120 associated deaths.
of The World Health Organization announced on Friday The Covid-19 pandemic is no longer a “public health emergency of international concern”.
Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, the government’s pandemic adviser, said the city was happy to have reached this “milestone”, but residents should remain vigilant as another pandemic could occur. I warned you that you must.
“Hong Kong people fought well,” he said. “There is no doubt that another pandemic will haunt us again. Current research shows it comes from animal hosts. It must be prohibited.”
The Prince of Wales Hospital in Shatin said the deceased 13-year-old girl developed sepsis after contracting the influenza A virus.
The girl, who had not been vaccinated against seasonal flu, visited mainland China during the incubation period of the disease and was taken to hospital on May 3 after suffering from fever and vomiting.
A 17-year-old boy with influenza died in early April. Also, I had not been vaccinated.
Leung said it’s “rare” to develop such complications from an influenza infection, but people should be vaccinated as soon as possible.
“Influenza transmission remained at low levels during the three years of the pandemic,” he said. “Children are very limited to the flu, and their last contact may have been a long time ago. As a result, their immunity levels are very low.”