Coronavirus: actual Covid death rate could be lower than official record suggests, Hong Kong leader says
- Chief Executive Carrie Lam says further analysis is warranted in the future to ascertain the actual number of Covid-19 infections in the city
- Hong Kong records 7,685 coronavirus infections on Monday and reports another 168 deaths
The city recorded 7,685 new coronavirus infections on Monday, the third day in a row the number was below the 10,000 mark. Another 168 deaths were reported, including 25 that occurred earlier but were only just recorded due to backlogs.
The continued fall in virus numbers coincides with the arrival of traditional Chinese medicine experts on Tuesday morning, with the group from mainland China tasked with further reducing infections and severe cases, as well as speeding up patients’ recovery.
The team will be led by Tong Xiaolin, head of the treatment group of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a mainland health official told the Post.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, meanwhile, said at her regular epidemic press briefing on Monday that further analysis was warranted in the future to ascertain the actual number of Covid-19 infections in the city.
That “grand total” might serve as a better baseline for determining the death rate, she said, citing suggestions from University of Hong Kong (HKU) infectious disease expert Professor Ivan Hung Fan-ngai.
“Whether it is 1 million, 2 million, 3 million or 4 million will make a lot of difference,” Lam said. “[But] for the time being, we will not move to that immediate adjustment. Otherwise, it would cause confusion.”
The city has one of the world’s highest fatality rates for the coronavirus, mostly among undervaccinated elderly residents.
