Hong Kong reported 614 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, its highest daily tally since the beginning of the pandemic.
Health officials announced that they would allow close contacts of confirmed cases to quarantine at home starting Tuesday, as the city, which has remained largely COVID-free, struggles to contain a recent onslaught of infections.
Monday’s figure is close to twice of the 342 cases reported a day before.
Of the new infections, 607 are locally transmitted. Most of them are suspected to be of the Omicron variant.
The Centre for Health Protection said 150 were linked to previous cases, adding it was still trying to trace the source of infection for the remainder.
The center also reported more than 600 preliminary positive cases.
“Some of the cases came from gatherings during [the Lunar New Year] holiday,” the centre’s controller Edwin Tsui said at a press briefing. “Even though the current situation is not optimistic, we hope residents can cooperate with our anti-COVID strategy, reduce gatherings and heading out, and stay at home as far as possible.”
With isolation beds in hospitals quickly running out, authorities announced that it would start moving some confirmed cases to Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre on Lantau Island on Tuesday for isolation so that hospital places can be freed up for patients with more serious conditions.
Hospital Authority Chief Manager of Integrated Clinical Services Larry Lee said this new arrangement would be for low-risk patients, such as those who have no or mild symptoms, and are young and fit.
He added the authority would also consider the patient’s medical background and vaccination status.
Lee said there would be staff to provide round-the-clock medical assistance at Penny’s Bay, adding patients would be sent to hospital for treatment if their conditions worsen.
With the city’s main quarantine facility partially converted into an isolation centre, authorities said they would also allow some close contacts of confirmed cases to quarantine at home starting Tuesday.
The close contacts will need to go through an assessment to see if their homes are deemed fit for quarantine purposes, such as whether their kitchen and bathroom are shared with other occupants.
Those quarantining at home will need to wear a wristband to track their whereabouts.
