HONG KONG – Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported six additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, taking the tally to 5,361.

All the new cases were imported, involving four men and two women aged between 18 and 55 from India, Britain, the Philippines, Ethiopia and Indonesia.

READ MORE: HK food dept sets voluntary virus tests for bar, pub staff

The traveler from Ethiopia had stayed in Regal Airport Hotel Hong Kong in Chek Lap Kok after arriving in the city, while the woman from Indonesia had stayed in O'Hotel in To Kwa Wan, the center said in a statement.

The Centre for Health Protection called on the public to stay vigilant against upper respiratory tract infection as an increasing number of institutional outbreaks had been recorded recently

According to the Hospital Authority, a total of 88 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospitals, including eight in critical condition.

On Thursday, the center called on the public to stay vigilant against upper respiratory tract infection following an increasing number of institutional outbreaks.

From Oct 25 to 31, there were four URTI outbreaks affecting 49 people, while in the first four days of this week (from Nov 1 to 4), there were 10 outbreaks affecting 73 people, the center said in a separate statement.

Among the 14 outbreaks, half of them occurred in primary schools, four in kindergartens and child care centers, and one each in a residential child care center, a special child care center and a special school, the CHP said. 

The CHP pointed out that young children, seniors and patients with chronic diseases are prone to respiratory tract infection and its complications.

ALSO READ: Four camps to provide COVID-19 tests at HK$240

It said students and staff with a fever or respiratory illness should not go to school and must consult doctors promptly. 

The center added that the symptoms of a URTI and other respiratory infections including influenza and COVID-19 could be similar, and it could be difficult to differentiate them clinically. 

Doctors are urged to remain vigilant and arrange respiratory infection testing for all patients presenting with acute respiratory symptoms.