Residents line up to get tested for the coronavirus at a temporary testing center for COVID-19 in Hong Kong, Feb 4, 2022. (VINCENT YU/XINHUA)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong reported 6,063 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with an additional 7,400 preliminary positive cases, authorities said, as they battle to control a worsening outbreak.

The new cases comprised four imported infections and 6,059 local ones, said Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection.

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Chuang said at a media briefing that outbreaks have been reported in 30 more care homes, involving both residents and staff, bringing the number of care homes with infected cases to 190.

Sara Ho Yuen-ha, Hospital Authority chief manager (patient safety and risk management), said at the same briefing that 15 deaths were reported over the previous 24 hours.

Data from the Hospital Authority showed 46 deaths since Dec 31. Only six of those patients had been vaccinated against COVID-19

Data from the Hospital Authority showed 46 deaths since Dec 31. Only six of those patients had been vaccinated against COVID-19, Ho said.

She added that more than 10 patients, 45 to 93 years old, are in critical condition at public facilities, while dozens of others are in serious condition.

Ho warned that the city’s public health facilities will soon be exhausted if the daily virus count remains at this level. She said the Hospital Authority has been discussing with the government possible ways to boost hospitals’ isolation-facility capacities, adding that the hospitals are curtailing non-emergency services.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross has been notified that a blood donor tested positive for COVID-19 after donating blood on Jan 27, Ho said.

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The blood of the donor was separated into platelets, plasma and red blood cells. The platelets have been used in a patient at Tuen Mun Hospital, while the red blood cells were used in another patient at Yan Chai Hospital. Both of them tested negative for COVID-19, and the Hospital Authority will follow up on the cases, Ho said.

The problematic plasma has not been used and was recovered, Ho added.