Coronavirus: caseload rebound to peak in 2 weeks with rate of increase slowing, Hong Kong health expert predicts
- Health expert Dr Leung Chi-chiu attributes surge in infections to waning of herd immunity since last peak earlier in the year
- Government adviser David Hui says focus should instead be on severe infections, ICU admissions and deaths
But a pandemic adviser to the government on Friday urged the public to focus on the number of severe cases and related deaths instead, arguing that the timing of the caseload peak did not matter.
The debate emerged with the city recording 10,137 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, the highest since September 10. On Friday, officials reported 9,996 new cases including 637 imported infections, and 11 more deaths.
“We had a mass outbreak in February and March but it has been a long time since then. The herd immunity is now regressing,” respiratory expert Dr Leung Chi-chiu told a radio programme, explaining the rebound in cases.
But he said the rate of increase in infections had slowed, sliding from a peak weekly rise of 35 per cent to only 9 per cent by Thursday.
“If the current trend persists, it will peak in two weeks,” Leung said.
But government pandemic adviser Professor David Hui Shu-cheong told the Post that the caseload peak should not be the focus.
