HONG KONG --
Hong Kong's cumulative coronavirus infections have exceeded 1 million as the town grapples with a widespread outbreak that has killed extra folks than the reported COVID-19 deaths in all of mainland China.
Well being officers reported 20,079 confirmed infections on Friday, taking the full for the reason that begin of the pandemic to 1,016,944.
Almost 97% of these got here from Hong Kong's present wave, which started in December. Since Feb. 9, almost 5,200 folks have died from the virus.
The overall variety of deaths in Hong Kong -- 5,401 -- has exceeded the 4,636 fatalities recorded in mainland China. Mainland authorities have reported 126,234 confirmed instances, however not like most international locations, China doesn't embody asymptomatic instances in its confirmed complete.
Town of seven.4 million is within the grip of an omicron surge that has strained its well being care system as hospitals reached most capability. Coffins are working out and mortuaries are so full that our bodies must be quickly saved in refrigerated containers.
Many of the deceased have been aged sufferers, a majority of whom usually are not totally vaccinated.
For a lot of the pandemic, Hong Kong was in a position to stamp out earlier outbreaks with powerful "zero COVID" restrictions that quickly shuttered companies, restricted public gatherings and imposed entry curbs similar to prolonged quarantines for arrivals and flight bans from international locations deemed high-risk.
That modified with the extremely transmissible omicron variant. Officers have sought help from mainland China, which has despatched consultants and medical assets to assist Hong Kong fight the pandemic.
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