Overflowing Morgues, Surge In Deaths Among Unvaccinated: Omicron Triggers Fourth COVID Wave In Hong Kong
Omicron, the highly virulent COVID variant which was first found in South Africa in 2021 has now become the most dominant strain globally, surpassing the Delta variant which had triggered the ferocious second wave of COVID-19 in India. Hong Kong is the latest city to face a rising number of cases due to this variant. According to the official data, the city has recorded nearly a million infections and more than 4,600 deaths — the bulk of them from the city’s unvaccinated elderly population. This sudden spike in infections and deaths has left the morgues in the city battling hard as most of them are overflowing. This has also forced health workers to transfer the bodies of coronavirus victims into refrigerated shipping containers.
“Mortuaries are so full that refrigerated containers had to be set up to store some of the bodies,” an official told the media. He further added, “Many more infections are likely going unaccounted for as residents self-test with rapid antigen tests and isolate at home.”
With this sudden surge in cases, around 7.4 million residents are left uncertain about their future and what they will face in the upcoming days. It almost looks like uncertainty is the only certainty as store shelves are stripped of goods, mainland Chinese companies throw up sprawling isolation and testing centres and the government sends mixed messages on whether it will lock down the population for citywide mass testing.
Hong Kong Fights Sudden COVID Surge
The sudden surge as explained by the experts is mainly triggered by the highly virulent Omicron variant of COVID-19 which has replaced the delta variant globally to become the dominant strain. Omicron has over 32 worrisome mutations in its spike protein which makes it a dangerous strain that can also infect the ones who are fully vaccinated. In the last few years, China has been following a ‘zero-COVID’ strategy, however, the current situation shows that it didn’t work as the authorities had expected it to be.
After keeping the virus mostly at bay for nearly two years, Hong Kong authorities have announced that they are not able to bring under control an outbreak driven by the highly transmissible omicron variant. So many people have been infected that there aren’t enough drivers for the city buses and subways or clerks to keep some stores open.
China has responded by sending experts, medical staff, and construction crews, expanding capacity but also raising fears that Hong Kong might adopt tough mainland-style restrictions, notably its lockdowns of entire cities.
Anxious residents have stockpiled daily necessities, as the government flip-flops on plans for mass testing and a possible lockdown. Infections among truck drivers interrupted shipments of meat and vegetables from mainland China, prompting worries of shortages and deliveries by sea.
(With inputs from Agencies)
