Hong Kong reported a new high of 34,466 daily COVID-19 cases on Monday as authorities softened their stance on a citywide lockdown.
The figure was up from 26,026 on Sunday and 17,063 on Saturday.
According to the Centre for Health Protection, all but four of Monday’s infections were locally transmitted.
A total of 124 more people have died from the virus.
Of this figure, 87 were recorded on Sunday, with them aged 51 to 100.
Only 10 received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 10 got one jab. The rest were unvaccinated.
The Hospital Authority said there were 37 more deaths from earlier, which had not been announced due to a delay in reporting. Their ages ranged from 37 to 105 years old.
Larry Lee, the authority’s chief manager for integrated clinical services, said the 37-year-old man was a chronic illness patient who lived in a residential home.
He said the man was admitted to Kwong Wah Hospital with symptoms of fever and breathing difficulties. He was discharged last Friday as his condition stabilized.
He returned to the hospital again as his situation worsened and passed away later.
Lee said 636 COVID-19 patients had died in public hospitals in the fifth wave.
He added as of last night, 49 people were in critical condition and 66 serious.
Earlier in the day, in a U-turn, Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan said the government had not ruled out a citywide lockdown.
Replying to a radio show host’s question on whether a lockdown was still ruled out, Chan said: “No. We are still discussing.”
She added, “From a public health perspective, we should look at how to maximize the effectiveness of the universal testing program. We need to reduce the movement of people to a certain extent.”
Chan’s remarks came after Chief Executive Carrie Lam repeatedly rejected a “complete, wholesale lockdown” for the city.
The health minister’s comments also followed a senior mainland official’s remarks that the mass testing program would achieve better results with a lockdown.
