China and Thailand are also seeing a jump in cases. China is approaching the levels seen during last summer’s peak, while Thailand is dealing with infection clusters, especially after the Songkran festival held in April.
In this explainer, we look at which countries are reporting more cases, why the numbers are rising, what the authorities are saying, and whether there is any reason to worry.
What’s happening in Hong Kong?
Health officials in Hong Kong have reported a clear rise in Covid cases, indicating the start of a new wave.
The infection rate has gone up from 1.7 per cent in mid-March to 11.4 per cent, now higher than the peak seen in August 2024, according to figures from the Centre for Health Protection on Tuesday.
In the past four weeks, there have been 30 deaths among 81 serious adult casesAlbert Au, who leads the Communicable Disease Branch at the city’s Centre for Health Protection, told local media this week that Covid activity in Hong Kong is currently “quite high”.
The percentage of respiratory samples testing positive for Covid is now at its highest level in a year.
The Centre’s investigation found that 83 per cent of the severe cases were in people aged 65 and older, and over 90 per cent of them had existing health issues.
While this current rise has not yet reached the high levels seen in the last two years, other signs, such as increased viral load in sewage, more medical consultations, and hospitalisations, suggest the virus is spreading in the city of over seven million
