Covid-19 Cases Could Jump Exponentially after CNY

There may be a spike in Covid-19 cases after Chinese New Year

The number of Covid-19 cases keep climbing in Hong Kong, with 142 cases recorded today, and 160 preliminary positive.

Most worrying are the untraceable cases with experts stunned as to how to track down their sources. And with the Lunar New Year public holidays coming to a close, in the next few days there could be a possible explosion of cases after people gathered with their families during the most important festival in the calendar.

Chuang (left) urges people not to meet for CNY

"We are worried because we may see hundreds or more cases as the Omicron variant is more transmissible. It poses a huge burden on the health care system," Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, of the Centre for Health Protection said today in the media briefing.

"We also have seen some airborne transmission reported from some family gatherings, and we urge people to stay at home."

In general this is true -- some families have opted not to meet up, while others have had muted gatherings. There are also reports of people receiving fewer laisee or lucky money than in previous years because they are worried about meeting people.

However, respiratory disease specialist Dr Leung Chi-chiu finds the number of untraceable cases worrying and suggests the government should hand out more fast-testing kits in the community, saying the city doesn't have the capacity to do large-scale testing.

But Chuang refuted this, saying the current lockdown of certain buildings was effective enough and that the authorities would continue to identify high-risk areas through confirmed cases and sewage tests.

Jeff Leung first senior official to get Covid-19

Of the new infections recorded today one was identified as Jeff Leung Wing-yan, Deputy Commissioner of Labour (Occupational Safety and Health). He is the first senior government official to be infected with the coronavirus.

In addition, people trying to get their business completed with government departments will have to be more patient, as the work from home arrangement will be extended for all 170,000 civil servants aside from those serving essential and anti-epidemic services until February 11.

As a result a number of government departments will limit services, such as inland revenue, labour, civil engineering and development, information services, building, drainage services, social welfare, and electrical and mechanical services, as well as the Housing Authority, Education Bureau, and Hongkong Post.

In the case of the last one, air mail stopped for many countries anyway, but this just shuts the city down even further.

Tonight the government issued another notice, concerned about Covid-19 spreading in Hong Kong.

Dr Leung suggests more testing kits to people

"The Delta and Omicron mutant strains are spreading in the community at the same time, posing unprecedented threat to Hong Kong," said a government spokesman. 

"The epidemic situation of the fifth wave may be more severe than that of the previous four waves. Members of the public are urged to stay vigilant, wear masks properly and get vaccinated as early as possible in order to greatly reduce the risk of falling seriously ill and death when infected. With the concerted co-operation of the public in fighting the epidemic, Hong Kong will surely overcome the current epidemic situation."

Sounds like a hunker down in the bunker kind of message...