The coronavirus outbreak continues to worsen in Hong Kong, with 123 new infections recorded on Friday—115 of which have no recent travel history.
62 of the new cases are close contacts of friends and family members that tested positive earlier. More than 50 are patients with no known transmission links.
Authorities fear outbreaks underway at two elderly care homes, one in Tuen Mun and one in Tai Wai. A worker at the Tuen Mun home has tested positive, though his family relative is a confirmed case and it is believe that he was not infected at the care home. But several residents at the home have reported symptoms.
The Tai Wai home was evacuated this afternoon after two people—a cleaner and a chef at the care home—tested positive for the disease.
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An operations assistant at United Christian Hospital has been infected with the virus. Seven colleagues have been listed as closed contacts but no one has tested positive so far. Authorities denied rumors that there is an outbreak at the hospital.
Today marks the third straight day of an increasing number of infections. Over the past week alone, 718 new COVID-19 cases were recorded in Hong Kong. Among them, 645—or close to 90%—are local infections.
To cope with the worsening outbreak, authorities transferred around 30 virus patients to a quarantine facility at the Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village in Chai Wan today. The move will free up bed spaces for those older who require more medical care.
All the patients who were transferred are in stable condition, under the age of 50 and have no underlying diseases. They are to check their temperature and blood oxygen levels daily, and will be discharged upon recording two negative tests.
Deputy hospital chief executive of Tin Shui Wai Hospital, Larry Lee Lap-yi, said on an RTHK segment Friday that authorities are considering the conversion of Asia World-Expo into a makeshift hospital—similar to the two that were built in Wuhan during the early days of the outbreak—should the situation worsen.
The city also confirmed one more virus-related fatality Friday, bringing the death count to 16.
A 74-year-old male patient passed away at United Christian Hospital around noon after his renal and liver function deteriorated, the Hospital Authority said. He is the fourth death from the elderly home in Tsz Wan Shan, where over 40 people have tested positive.
