The surging coronavirus pandemic in Hong Kong claimed one more victim on Friday as health officials reported 58 new cases, many of them people who have frequent contact with the public, indicating a further widening of the current outbreak.
Health officials again urged city residents to stay home as much as possible – especially the elderly – saying they expect more outbreaks in the coming days.
“The public should stay at home as much as possible and not take part in unnecessary activities,” said Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan of the Centre for Health Protection.
“The patients [reported] recently … they not only go to work, they have gatherings, they play mahjong, they sing karaoke, they have frequent activities. It’s complicated to trace their source of infection as well as close contacts to put them under quarantine.”
“People should encourage elderly members of their family to stay at home. If you live with elderly people, you should stay at home as much as possible, too, and pay attention to the health condition of the elderly,” she said.
The latest fatality – the 11th in the city – was a 71-year-old woman who had a chronic illness.
The total number of COVID-19 cases reported in Hong Kong now stands at 1,713 with eight of the new cases being imported ones.
The imported cases came from Ethiopia, India, the Philippines and Pakistan.
(RTHK/Macau News)