New COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong dipped on Thursday, but the city recorded another coronavirus-related death.
Of the 986 new infections, 985 are locally transmitted.
Most are of the Omicron variant.
In a press conference on Thursday, Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, noted a growing cluster in DB Plaza in Discovery Bay, with at least four cleaners, two customer service personnel and two shopkeepers confirmed to be infected.
The center had ordered the plaza to close for disinfection.
Chuang added the center had recorded around 800 preliminary positive cases.
Under Secretary for Food and Health Tsui Tak-yi said the city is facing a “very severe situation” with the pandemic.
He pointed out that daily cases had increased by close to 10 times from 129 at the start of the month to 1,161 on Wednesday.
But he rejected suggestions to live with the virus.
“The government is continuing with the aim of dynamic zero infection,” said Tsui.
The city also reported another COVID-19 death on Thursday.
Larry Lee, Chief Manager (Integrated Clinical Services) at the Hospital Authority, said it involved a 94-year-old woman who was suffering from chronic illness.
She was admitted to hospital on Tuesday due to breathing difficulties and heart deterioration.
Lee said she had no vaccination record and was carrying the Omicron variant.
This brings the total number of coronavirus-related deaths in public hospitals to 208.
Lee said three people are in critical condition, with one a confirmed case and two preliminary positive infections.
Two of them are not jabbed, while one completed two doses of vaccination in September last year.
Another six, aged 50 to 91, are in serious condition.
Two completed two doses in August last year, one received one dose and two are unvaccinated.
Authorities said they did not have the information on the last one at the time of the briefing.
Chuang also gave an update on the proportion of cases that are vaccinated.
She said that since the fifth wave of coronavirus, around 56 per cent of suspected Omicron infections in Hong Kong received two doses of a vaccine, while about 49 per cent of suspected Delta cases had gotten two jabs.
