A couple sit on a stone barrier at Repulse Bay Beach, Hong Kong on June 26, 2022. (PHOTO/CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG – Hong Kong reported 9,787 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday as health authorities said a 21-year-old man was among eight patients who had passed away.

Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the communicable disease branch of the Centre for Health Protection, said at a news briefing that the new infections comprised 9,602 local cases and 185 imported ones.

ALSO READ: Hong Kong scraps quarantine rules for locally based air crew

The financial hub's daily COVID caseload has been hovering around 10,000 over the past 10 days, reporting 10,076 new infections on Friday and 11,091 on Thursday.

Among Saturday's 185 imported cases, 28 were from the Philippines, 27 from the United Kingdom, and 18 from the United States

Chuang said 81 of Saturday's imported cases were detected at the airport, 53 in quarantine hotels, and 42 at community testing centers. Among them, 28 were from the Philippines, 27 from the United Kingdom, and 18 from the United States.

Chuang also said that 10 residential care homes for the elderly and persons with disability recorded nine residents and one employee getting infected.

A total of 17 classes from 16 schools have also suspended face-to-face classes due to infections, she added.

The eight new deaths brought the city’s toll to 9,575 during the fifth wave.

READ MORE: HK to include children aged 5-11 in Vaccine Pass; tally tops 11k

Also speaking at the same press briefing, Larry Lee Lap-yip, chief manager (Integrated Clinical Services) of the Hospital Authority, said the patients who passed away include two men and six women aged between 21 and 99. Most of them also suffered from chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease and heart failure.

“Three of them had not yet completed the vaccination course,” Lee said.

Lee said the 21-year-old male patient had suffered from cerebral palsy and was bedridden. He had suffered from a fever and was sent to United Hospital for treatment, where he passed away on Friday. The patient had not completed his vaccination course.

Lee added that there were 2,698 COVID patients being treated in public hospitals, including 333 new patients.