Coronavirus: how Omicron is spreading in Hong Kong wave triggered by Cathay Pacific aircrew and a relative linked to 32 other confirmed infections
- Biggest spreader is a flight attendant’s mother who directly infected eight people to cause fifth-generation transmission in less than a fortnight, Post study finds
- Nearly a third of Hongkongers infected in Omicron outbreak are aged 60 or above, raising concerns over older generation’s plight should cases surge
The analysis also revealed that as of Monday about a quarter of those infected with the new coronavirus variant were elderly, of whom 35.7 per cent were unvaccinated, raising concerns over the plight of the older generation should cases surge.
But epidemiological experts said even those who had taken the jabs were prone to catching the new variant given that antibody levels could drop significantly several months after the first two doses, as they urged residents to get a booster shot as soon as they became eligible.
Hong Kong’s fifth wave of infections started to emerge at the end of December, spreading from two Omicron-carrying aircrew members, one of whom was confirmed to have broken Covid-19 rules. Exempted from hotel quarantine, he was found to have flouted isolation regulations originally designed for cargo pilots by leaving his home for non-essential reasons.
The infections of the two Cathay Pacific flight attendants, both vaccinated and returning from the United States, have already spread to a total of 46 residents across two clusters, comprising 32 women and 14 men, aged three to 88, and tied to a Kowloon Tong restaurant and Causeway Bay dance group.
At 36.1 per cent, unvaccinated patients account for a bigger proportion of the dance cluster than the restaurant one. The source of the outbreak among the dancers, who met in Victoria Park, was traced to the mother of a female flight attendant.