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HONG KONG – Even with stricter measures to curb the spread of Covid-19, Hong Kong is getting no respite as the death toll rises and more groups erupt in different buildings, including the most recent in a domestic help dormitory.
The territory is bracing for a grim Christmas and winter solstice, with Hong Kong officials now under additional pressure to do more to contain the coronavirus ravaging the city.
Dr. Leung Chi Chiu of the Hong Kong Medical Association told The Straits Times on Wednesday (December 16) that the situation “remained critical.”
Daily infections may have dropped from more than 100 to between 69 and 98 in the last six days, but most of those cases are local and officials have no idea where they come from, at least a significant proportion of them.
More than 1,300 new cases of Covid-19 were registered in the first two weeks of December. Of these, more than 1,200 were local cases and 34% have not been traced to a source.
Hong Kong recorded 82 confirmed cases on Wednesday, including 79 local cases, of which 35 have unknown sources.
This brings the confirmed case count to just over 7,800, including 123 deaths.
This week alone, six patients between the ages of 49 and 79 have died, prompting experts and officials, including CEO Carrie Lam, repeatedly urging the public to stay home and warn the younger population not to be complacent. .
In Wednesday’s daily briefing, Dr. Linda Yu from the Hospital Authority highlighted that there are now more critically ill patients in a shorter period of time. He added that so far 70 percent of beds in intensive care units are occupied.
Health officials are currently dealing with outbreaks related to a Tai Po dormitory for foreign domestic workers and public housing estates in Wong Tai Sin and Ngau Chi Wan. People who have visited or reside in these buildings have been encouraged to take the free trials.
Foreign domestic helpers serve some 400,000 families in Hong Kong.
Said Dr. Leung, an infectious disease expert: “With emerging outbreaks involving different high-risk environments, including inside multi-story buildings and poorly regulated shelters for foreign domestic workers, there is no room for complacency.”
He added that cooler weather in the upcoming holiday period and the influx of returnees from Britain and other areas with worsening Covid-19 outbreaks remain the main challenges for the city.
Hong Kong Employment Agencies Association Chairman Cheung Kit Man told public broadcaster RTHK on Wednesday that according to his estimates, there are about 300 unlicensed dormitories for domestic workers.
It would be difficult for authorities to verify who was staying in these dormitories, as there was no record, he said, adding that some aides were allowed to spend the night outside their employers’ homes on their day off.
But government adviser and respiratory medicine professor David Hui told RTHK on Tuesday (December 15) that there are fewer people on the streets and he expects the daily infection rate to decline around Christmas as the effects of the rules. stricter begin to show.
Last week, authorities reinstated some of the stricter measures, previously implemented four months ago, to control the pandemic.
For a period of two weeks until December 23, dinner services stop between 6 p.m. and 4.59 a.m. the following day, with the limit of customers per table during dinner hours to stay at two, the same as the limit of public meetings.
Businesses such as gyms, sports centers, beauty salons and massages have also been forced to close, along with a previous order to close bars and pubs.
Ms Lam has announced that the government will ask the Legislative Council to approve before Christmas a fourth round of aid funds against the epidemic for the most affected companies.
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