While China's `Zero-COVID' approach has managed - at great expense - to beat back previous versions of COVID-19, these highly transmissible newer generation variants a reproving more difficult to contain.
Today's (translated) update from Hong Kong follows:
Rising trend continues, more than 4,000 people infected with the virus
There were 4,076 new local cases with positive tests for novel coronavirus in Hong Kong, 1,496 were positive for nucleic acid test, 2,580 were positive for verified rapid antigen test, and 299 were imported. Three more deaths were reported.
July 21, 2022
Zhang Zhujun, director of the Infectious Diseases Division of the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, said at a briefing today that the number of local cases has increased by more than 4,000 and the upward trend is continuing. , reduce the risk of severe illness and death.
She also mentioned that there are many invisible transmission chains in the community at present, and the government will strengthen virus testing. The public should pay attention to the announcement of mandatory testing and be tested according to the instructions.
As for schools, a total of 414 positive cases were reported in 335 schools, including 330 students and 84 staff. Hong Kong Taoist Federation Yunquan Wu Lihe Memorial School, Shunde Friendship Association Liang Lixiuyu Sha Tin Kindergarten individual classes will suspend face-to-face classes for one week according to the recommendation of the protection center. In the past seven days, 193 schools recorded two or more cases.
As of the 19th of this month, 1,149 local cases involving the BA.2.12.1 sublineage of the Omicron variant virus strain and 403 local cases involving the BA.4 or BA.5 sublineage have been recorded in Hong Kong.
This afternoon, the government has designated Lee Man House, Ap Lei Chau Village, Aberdeen , as a restricted area according to the needs of epidemic prevention, and relevant persons must undergo compulsory testing within a designated time.
In view of the high virus levels in sewage samples from many residential areas in Sai Kung, Sham Shui Po and Tsuen Wan , the Housing Department and the local District Office will distribute rapid antigen test kits to the relevant residents, cleaners and property management staff.
In addition, since last Friday, confirmed patients who have been quarantined at home are required to wear electronic wristbands. The government reminds citizens that they can cut off their electronic wristbands and delete the "Home Security Anti-epidemic" mobile application after completing home isolation as required. No further notice will be given.
The Government has set up a dedicated webpage to provide relevant information and health advice on COVID-19.
Due to these new, highly transmissible variants, COVID-19 is on the ascendant again around the world. Testing has been largely abandoned in many countries, making the numbers we get highly unreliable.
Here in the United States, while in excess of 120,000 cases are reported each day, most people use at-home test kits and most of those results are never reported or tallied.
Hospitalizations, which are more easily tracked, are increasing in many countries. And while still far below last winter's peak, it is a reminder than Omicron is far from a benign illness.
While less dramatic, in Singapore (see chart below) hospitalizations have increased by 250% over the past 30 days.
While the world would like to pretend that the COVID threat is over, the virus has made other plans, and we need to adjust our response accordingly.
Vaccines and their boosters, while less effective in preventing `breakthrough infections', still provide some protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
And while many people are tired of wearing them, face masks still provide an important barrier against the virus.
As to what comes after BA.5, nobody really knows. But COVID's ability to reinvent itself every few months doesn't seem likely to stop anytime soon.
