Hong Kong on Wednesday logged 5,757 new Covid-19 cases, including 5,563 local infections. There were also four Covid-related deaths.

The Hospital Authority (HA) said 1,875 patients were being treated at hospital, including ten under intensive care.

The Centre for Health Protection's Dr Albert Au said the daily Covid tally continues to be on a rising trend, adding that there’s been an increase in the number of infections involving the highly transmissible Omicron BA.5 subvariant.

He said officials also expect more elderly people to come down with the virus, noting that currently, nearly a quarter of Covid patients are aged 60 and above, compared to 18 percent in early June.

"In the past two weeks, there are over 15,000 elderly people aged 60 and above infected with Covid. So we encourage elderly people living in the community to receive vaccination as soon as possible," he said.

"If they have symptoms, they must seek medical care or consultation, and get tested, so that if they're really infected, they can receive treatment as early as possible."

A chief manager with the HA, Dr Lau Ka-hin, also warned that non-emergency services may soon have to be suspended.

"As there are increasing number of patients admitted to the hospital, especially for the elderly, we have to reserve the beds to accommodate them.... we have to redistribute our manpower by adjusting our services, especially the non-essential services," he said.

Meanwhile, nearly 90 elderly residents at a care home in Southern District have to be sent to quarantine, after seven residents came down with the coronavirus.

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USEFUL LINKS
General Covid-19 situation: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/
Community Clinics for Covid-19 patients: https://bit.ly/3a4BZFE
RAT reporting platform: https://www.chp.gov.hk/ratp/
Vaccination programme: https://www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/sen/
Vaccination pass scheme: https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/vaccine-pass.html
Hotline for Covid-positive patients: 1836 115