Daily Covid tally drops to 21,650 but total death toll nears 5,000

By Daisy CL Mandap

PCR positive results have fallen but targeted lockdowns continue (File)

The combined number of daily Covid-19 cases from both PCR and rapid tests fell to 21,650 Thursday, but health officials say people should “wait and see” if the decline would continue.

The lower figure was partly due to PCR positive cases dropping to 8,628, the first time it fell to below 10,000 since the surge started. Those submitted to the rapid antigen platform and confirmed totaled 13,022.

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Hong Kong’s total tally from the Omicron-fueled fifth wave of the contagion now stands at 984,231.

While acknowledging the comparatively lower daily figure, Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection said it was difficult to judge the trend based on the latest figure alone.

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“We still have to wait and see,” she said. “There are still silent transmissions so the number will not come down very quickly.”

Chuang also reported 289 more deaths, 202 of which happened on Wednesday, including two elderly women aged 92 and 90 who passed away within minutes of each other at North Lantau Hospital. They were taken taken there from the AsiaWorld-Expo isolation facility when their condition deteriorated.

She said the death toll in the fifth wave has now gone up to 4,933. Fifteen of the fatalities died outside of the hospital, including one who fell from a height and was tested positive for Covid-19 after being taken to the morgue.

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They took the city’s death rate to an all-time high of 0.5%.

A majority, or 58% of the patients had lived in residential care, and 87% had chronic diseases.

More than 10,500 patients remain hospitalized

Dr Lau Ka-hin of the Hospital Authority said that as of the latest bulletin, 10,522 patients were being treated in public hospitals and the isolation facility at AsiaWorld-Expo while 112 have been discharged. 

Among them, 58 new cases were listed in critical condition today, while 115 were in serious condition. A total of 119 patients are in intensive care.

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Of the 202 who were reported to have died Wednesday, 120 were males and 82 were females aged 20-104 years old.

Most, or 177 of the patients, had no vaccination or only had one dose of a vaccine.

Lau said there were seven fatalities who were relatively young, but all except one had chronic illnesses, including the 20-year-old patient who had a congenital heart disease.

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The only one said to have “no particular illness” was a 49-year-old woman who received two doses of a vaccine. She was taken to the hospital on Mar 14 complaining of breathing difficulty, and an x-ray showed she had opacity in both lungs. She died after two days later.

Lau said her case has been referred to the coroner for further investigation.

An additional 87 deaths that occurred earlier were also reported, including that of the 40-year-old patient who fell from a height. The age range of the patients was 40 to 104 years old.

The number of HA staff who have caught the coronavirus went up to 18,506 but more than 10,000 have already returned to work.

Lau also announced that from tomorrow, Covid-19 patients could book an appointment at any of the designated clinics by using the HA Go app.

He said the app will indicate the number of available slots, and users can use it to book and cancel an appointment, or check their booking status.

The only catch is that only those who have existing records in the public hospital system can use the app for now.

CE hints at 7-day quarantine for new arrivals, easing flight bans

By The SUN

 

CE Lam says the infection rate in HK remains at high level but people's tolerance is wearing thin

In an apparent change of heart, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced today, Thursday, that the government might cut the quarantine period for new arrivals to seven, instead of the current 14 days.

She also hinted that Hong Kong will start opening its borders again, saying residents and businesses are losing patience with Hong Kong’s isolated status.

CE Lam said she will give an update on its coronavirus strategy on Saturday or Monday, despite saying previously that the strict social distancing measures and existing flight bans on nine countries including the Philippines, will remain in place until Apr. 20.

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Speaking at her daily Covid briefing, Mrs Lam noted that many changes have happened in Hong Kong since she announced the strict tightening of pandemic restrictions on Feb 22.

“I think the time has come for the government to review all those mid-term measures announced on the 22^nd of February. Just give me a little bit of time. When the one-month time comes, that is, on the 20^th or 21^st of March, I will give a comprehensive update of the situation…not because the number of cases has come down – they are actually at high-level plateau…”

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“But I have a very strong feeling that people’s tolerance is fading. I have a very good feeling that some of our financial institutions are losing patience about this isolated status of Hong Kong,” she said, adding that she more than anyone, was anxious to preserve the city’s standing as an international financial hub.

The CE said the update will include existing measures, including flight bans, the quarantine period for new arrivals, planned compulsory universal testing, and class resumption.

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She made the announcement after three microbiologists at Hong Kong University including government adviser Yeung Kwok-yung, wrote in an article published in Ming Pao Daily that flight bans should be lifted, and that fully vaccinated Hongkongers who come in should be allowed to self-isolate at home.

The three experts, including David Lung and Siddharth Sridhar, also called on the government to provide a road map for returning to normal life, so residents would regain hope and confidence.

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But speaking about the quarantine period for inbound travelers Mrs Lam said the period may only be cut from 14 to seven days, and that the government will still have to consider the possible burden on government hospitals.

She cited the Centre for Health Protection’s directive that allows Covid patients to end their isolation if they test negative on days six and seven on a rapid antigen test as the standard that would be followed.

“So in terms of consistency, there’s a very strong basis for us to apply more or less the same rule to arrivals.”

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Her pronouncement came just one day after ordering all beaches closed to the public from tomorrow, saying data obtained from the Octopus Card company showed many people had been going for a dip since the weather turned warmer.

CE says now is not time to relax as beaches closed off

By The SUN 

CE Lam says move to close beaches was made reluctantly

Chief Executive Carrie Lam has told the public that this is not yet the time for relaxation, as she defended the decision to close public access to beaches managed by the government starting tomorrow.

Speaking at her regular Covid briefing, CE Lam said the government hesitated in taking the move, but was alarmed by reports that more people have been going to the beaches recently despite the continuing surge in infections.

“We are reluctant to take such a measure as there are some people who will go there for a walk, but we have seen people flocking to the beaches. We must take appropriate action to protect the system and ensure the safety of the people,” she said.

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Previously, lifeguard services at the beaches were stopped and shower stalls closed off, in a bid to limit the number of people going there to swim and gather.

With the tightened directive, LCSD said it will cordon off all the beaches under its management to prevent the public from entering “in order to reduce crowd gatherings and the chances of virus transmission.”

Mrs Lam said data from the Octopus Card company showed more people have been going to the beach since the weather turned warmer, and that some don’t wear face masks.

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She also said this was not the first time that the government had taken this move. At the height of the third wave last year, public beaches were also cordoned off, along with facilities nearby like barbecue pits.

Asked about a study by the University of Hong Kong that showed more than three million residents had already been infected by Covid-19 as of Mar 14, the CE said she was not in a position to comment on estimates done by academics.

But she conceded that “judging from the high numbers that we have seen, it will not be a surprise that there are still a lot of silent transmissions in society.”

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The updated infection figure from the Center for Health Protections shows the number of cases going up to nearly one million after more than 180,000 results from rapid tests that were reported late were confirmed today.

Mrs Lam warned that if people let their guards down and began going out again to gather, the transmissions will continue because “Omicron is very, very highly transmissible.”

She added, “That's why I repeatedly tried to convey the message this morning that this is not the time for relaxation. This is not the time for being complacent that Hong Kong’s epidemic situation is going to improve significantly in the short term.”

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She conceded the surge in cases made the government’s very strict health protocols in the past “simply unrealistic” so they had to make adjustments in isolation and treatment requirements.

The hard lessons from the fifth wave will be taken into account in deciding on how tackle future waves of Covid-19 or any other virus to achieve the best results, she said. And any such future policies should take into consideration not just public health but also economic interests as well as people’s acceptance.

CE Lam and other HK officials welcome the 300 medical personnel from Guangdong

Later in the afternoon, Mrs Lam led a government delegation in meeting the biggest batch of medical personnel sent by the Mainland to help Hong Kong cope with the deluge in coronavirus cases.

The 300-member group made up of doctors, nurses and support staff will help look after patients in the community treatment center in AsiaWorld-Expo. An earlier batch of 74 people is already at work in the facility.

CE Lam said the backup group will enable the Hospital Authority to admit more patients into the AWE center.

She added the mainland group is made up highly qualified and well trained personnel, having come from the best hospitals in Guangdong. They were selected because of their knowledge of both Cantonese and English, and their extensive anti-epidemic experience.

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HK's infection tally shoots up to nearly 1m after RAT results update

by Daisy CL Mandap

Tsui shows the infection graph- the green bar is for PCR, orange is for RAT results

Almost one million people have been infected with Covid-19 so far, according to the updated results reported by the Centre for Health Protection today, Mar 16.

CHP controller Edwin Tsui announced for the first time the 184,390 positive results from the rapid antigen tests taken between Feb 26 and Mar 5, and were reported to a government platform subsequently.

Added to the previously reported results, the total infection tally now stands at 962,581.

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Patients who tested positive for RAT earlier were given a week, or from Mar 7 to 14, to report their infections. They were given another 24 hours, or up midnight last given, to upload photos of their HKID cards and positive results onto the platform.

The updated overall figure included the 29,272 newly confirmed cases reported today, of which 14,454 came from PCR tests and the remaining 14,818 from RAT.

Tsui said the case surge began on Feb 17, and reached its peak between Mar 2 and 3 when about 70,000 cases (including the RAT results) were confirmed each day.

He said the numbers peaked on March 3, when almost 77,000 were recorded via both PCR and rapid tests. The figures began to decline afterwards, and from Mar 10, the daily tally has been below 30,000.

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CHP’s Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan said that today’s infection figure included 11 imported cases involving patients who flew in from Singapore, Thailand and United Arab Emirates.

The number of reported deaths has continued to climb at a daily rate of just under 300. The total tally reported today was 278, which included 217 that occurred Tuesday and 61 that were not reported on time.

Chuang said more than 4,600 Covid patients have died in the Omicron-fueled fifth wave of the pandemic. In the earlier waves that began more than two years ago

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, the total number of fatalities was around 500.

Yesterday’s deaths included a 53-year-old male patient who died at home. He suffered from renal failure and had been undergoing dialysis.

So far, Chuang said 15 Covid-19 patients had died at home in the fifth wave. 

Two elderly patients who turned seriously ill at AWE isolation facility died this morning (File) 

Separately, Dr Lau Ka-hin reported that two elderly patients being cared for at an isolation facility at AsiaWorld-Expo had died after being transferred to the North Lantau Hospital earlier today.

The female patients aged 90 and 92 years old, were reportedly transferred to North Lantau at about 8am today in serious condition. They subsequently died at 9:09am and 9:16am, respectively. Both were unvaccinated.

As of the latest figure, 10,760 patients were receiving treatment at public hospitals and the AWE isolation facility. Among them, 81 are in critical condition, 138 in serious condition and 119 are receiving treatment at intensive care units.

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Of those who passed away yesterday, 124 were males and 93 were females, aged from 35 to 105 years old. They included 125 who came from residential care homes. Those who did not  have a single vaccine dose numbered 151, 41 had a vaccine shot, 21 had two shots and 4 had 3 shots.

The youngest, who was 35 had cancer and hepatitis. Seven other patients who were aged below 60 years old all had chronic or serious illnesses like brain hemorrhage, colon and nasopharyngeal cancer, as well as epilepsy.

The 61 death cases that were not reported on time included 34 males and 27 females aged 42 to 101.

Lau said 1,058 patients had recovered and were discharged from hospitals in the past 24 hours.

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True infection figure expected when RAT results updated tomorrow

By Daisy CL Mandap

 

RAT results which were not reported on time will all be tallied by Wednesday

Health authorities say they expect to have a better grasp of the extent of Covid-19 infection in Hong Kong when the delayed reporting of positive results from rapid antigen tests (RATs) are tallied in full tomorrow.

Dr Albert Au of the Centre for Health Protection made the statement as he reported a total of 25,765 confirmed Covid-19 cases today, Mar 15. Of the total tally, 11,556 cases came from PCR tests while the remaining 15,809 came from RAT.

Four imported cases were included in the day’s tally, while the rest were all locally acquired.

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They took the total number of cases from the fifth wave to 748,919.

An additional 294 deaths were reported, bringing the total death toll from the Omicron-fueled surge in cases to 4,355. This took Hong Kong’s death rate to an all-time high of 0.58%.

CHP had given a reporting deadline of Mar 14 for all positive results in RATs conducted between Feb 26, when they were declared confirmed without further confirmation; and Mar 5, when a platform for uploading the results was set up.

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From Mar. 6, all the confirmed RAT results have been added to the daily tally.

As those who made the cut-off date were given 24 hours to upload their HK ID cards and a photo of their positive test result, the reporting deadline will technically end on Tuesday.

“After midnight tonight, we will have an actual picture concerning the daily figure,” said Au. “We will announce the figure tomorrow.”

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It remains unclear, however, how the additional figures will be reflected in Hong Kong’s overall infected figure.

And despite the attempt at keeping track of all of those who tested positive in the city, the true figure may never be known as those who used RATs are not legally compelled to report their infection to authorities.

A study conducted by the University of Hong Kong has put the actual infection figure as of Mar 14 at 3.58 million, and Au candidly admitted this was within the range of their expectations.

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He said their projection is that the real figure is about three to four times the number actually recorded. So with about 750,000 confirmed cases so far, he said “the projection made by the HKU is reasonable.”

The final death toll from the fifth wave that the HKU study had estimated to be about 5,102 is also within range, given that the average daily tally for the past two weeks of just under 300.

According to the HKU study, about 4.48 million people, or 60.5% of Hong Kong’s 7.4 million people would have caught the coronavirus by the end of the fifth wave.

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But relief may soon be at hand, because the study predicted that the infection figures would drop considerably by the end of March, given the highly restrictive gathering restrictions currently in place.

By late April the daily caseload is forecast to fall below 1,000 and to below 100 by mid-May.

The improved projection is based in part to the arrival in Hong Kong of two Covid-19 antiviral drugs, Molnupiravir and Paxlovid, which when given to patients within five days of the onset of symptoms, are expected to reduce hospitalizations and deaths by 30 and 89 percent, respectively.

Paxlovid, the wonder drug that is said to be up to 89% effective 

The rise in the vaccination rate to about 90% is also expected to help curb the surge in cases.

According to Dr Lau Ka-hin of the Hospital Authority, 10,228 patients are being treated at public hospitals and the community treatment facility at AsiaWorld-Expo where a newly arrived medical team from the Mainland will help look after them.

Of these patients, 62 are in critical condition while 145 are in serious condition. However, Lau said 111 patients are in intensive care.

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As of the latest tally, 905 patients had been discharged over a 24-hour period.

Lau said 228 people had died in the past 24 hours, comprising 131 males and 96 females. They ranged in age from 19 to 107 years old.

Consistent with what has been happening in the fifth wave, many of the deceased had lived in care homes (123) and a majority were not vaccinated. Those who did not have a single jab numbered 165 while 36 had one shot, 27 had two shots, and 2 had three shots.

The youngest patient who was 19, had leukemia. Eight other patients who were below 60 years old all had serious chronic diseases like heart and thyroid issues, hepatitis, tuberculosis, brain tumor, epilepsy, blocked arteries, diabetes and hypertension.

Lau reported an additional 56 people who died between Mar 8 and 13, comprising 37 males and 19 females. They were aged 26 to 107 years old.

He said the 26-year-old patient had severe mental disability and suffered from a variety of ailments, including a genetic renal failure and epilepsy

Lau also reported that the number of hospital staff who have tested positive for Covid-19 has risen to 15,766. However, 7,517 of them have already returned to work.

There have also been additional infections reported in care homes. Six of such facilities reported new cases yesterday, affecting 30 residents and 13 staff.

So far, 757 care homes for the elderly have been affected, amounting to about 90% of all such facilities in Hong Kong.

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Include FDHs in consumption voucher scheme, gov’t urged

 by Leo A. Deocadiz

Some of the domestic helpers who tested positive for Covid-19 and given accommodation by Fr. John Wotherspoon.

When the government starts giving $10,000 to 6.3 million adult residents living in Hong Kong for this year’s Consumption Voucher Scheme, it will leave out residents who have also contributed their own share to the economy: foreign domestic helpers.

A Catholic priest -- a prison chaplain who has also become known for taking care of the homeless and migrant workers in Hong Kong -- has suggested that the helpers also get such financial assistance, which was meant to boost spending on local businesses to help the economy to recover faster.

Fr John says helpers should get at least $5k because they also help the economy going

“Maybe the government should give $5,000 at least to all domestic helpers because they are human beings helping the economy going,” said Fr. John Wotherspoon, OMI, who has also begun taking in helpers who had been thrown out by their employers for testing positive for Covid-19.

“Maybe somebody can lobby for that, for the government to give a little donation to all domestic helpers in the same way that they give $10,000 to all citizens,” he added.

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The scheme does not have to include all FDHs, according to Fr. Jun Jacobe, OMI, who coordinates the placement of Covid-19 positive helpers in the government’s quarantine and isolation facilities.

He said that if including all the 350,000 FDHs is not possible, the payments can be limited to those who have been infected with the coronavirus.

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He said this act of compassion can be workable, cost a lot less and can be done easily by the Labour Department.

Being thrown out of employers’ homes while sick is illegal and punishable by a fine of up to $100,000, but if a helper files a complaint, it will take too long to get justice. In the meantime, Fr. Jacobe said, the helper will be penniless and has nowhere to go.

Fr Jun says the payments may be limited to those who have been infected with the coronavirus.

After all, FDHs contribute HK$98.9 billion to Hong Kong’s economy every year, or 3.9 per cent of the GDP, according to a study that calculated the cost of their work if paid at local rates, their personal spending, and the time they free up to enable their employers to work.

Childcare alone – valued at HK$40 per hour at an average of 3.85 hours per day -- totals HK$184,970.52 per year, according to the March 2020 report, based on 2018 data calculated by market research firm Frost & Sullivan.

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Entitled The Value of Care: Key Contributions of Migrant Domestic Workers to Economic Growth and Family Well-being in Asia, the report was commissioned by consumer credit report company Experian and jointly presented with local NGO Enrich.

Inclusion of FDHs will also satisfy the main requirement that the money be spent locally.

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The Consumption Voucher Scheme website states: “In general, consumption vouchers can be used at local retail, catering and service outlets or their online platforms which accept payments by Alipay HK, Octopus, Tap & Go and WeChat Pay HK. Examples include retail shops, market stalls, department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, fast food shops, coffee shops, recreational facilities, beauty salons, public transport, etc.”

Another study conducted by two Hong Kong-based non-government organizations found that FDHs spend 75% of their income locally, leaving only about HK$1,700 for family remittance and savings out of their minimum monthly pay of $4,310 in 2018.

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“It is estimated that they infuse over $562 million per month or over $6.75 billion per year towards the Hong Kong economy through purchases alone,” said the study, “Where Do Your Wages Go?  A Research on the Expenditures of Migrant Domestic Workers in Hong Kong”, done by the Mission for Migrant Workers (MFMW) and the Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM).

The 2018 survey, where more than 1000 FDWs were surveyed on how their monthly wage is typically allocated, was a follow-up to a similar study done by the two organizations in 2013 and showed that their local spending had risen by a quarter.

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“Contrary to some beliefs that FDWs eat up HK resources, the research revealed that they are significant consumers and patrons of the Hong Kong economy,” the study said. “While they come to Hong Kong to support their families back home, their condition dictates that most of their earnings are spent in HK, and thus contribute to the economic life of the city.”

Cynthia Abdon Tellez, general manager of MFMW, said it would be ideal if the FDHs were treated equally, since they face the same hardships as the locals.

The Mission's Cynthia Abdon Tellez

“Many don’t get provided food and anti-Covid-19 supplies, whose prices are rising,” she said. “And then they are prohibited from earning extra income that would have helped them cope with the additional expenses.”

Eman Villanueva, vice chairman of the Filipino Migrant Workers' Union, said: “We welcome the proposal to include migrant domestic workers (MDW) in the government’s financial support in the form of consumption voucher,”

FMWU's Eman Villanueva

 “The MDW community is one of the many sectors hardest hit by the pandemic’s 5th wave. It is just and appropriate that MDWs be included in the financial aid by the government. Not doing so is discriminatory and exclusionary,” he added.

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