Hong Kong’s health authorities have advised residents to enhance personal hygiene and protection measures, including receiving the initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, cautioning that COVID-19 activity is expected to increase further in the city in the coming few weeks.

Those in high-risk priority groups should receive a booster dose in a timely manner to minimize the risk of serious complications and death after infection, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health said in a statement on Friday.

“According to the latest surveillance data as of the week ending April 19, the viral load of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from sewage surveillance, the test positivity rate and the average consultation rate of COVID-19 cases in general outpatient clinics have continued to rise over the past four weeks,” CHP Controller Dr Edwin Tsui said, adding that the overall COVID-19 activity has continued to rise since mid-March.

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In particular, the percentage of respiratory samples testing positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus increased to 8.21 percent from 1.71 percent four weeks ago, a record high in the past six months, according to him.

Meanwhile, the viral load per capita of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was around 440,000 copy/litre, a significant increase from 260,000 copy/litre four weeks ago. Sewage surveillance data also showed that the local prevalence of XDV was on the rise.

“As XDV is a JN.1-related variant, the COVID-19 vaccines currently used in Hong Kong are still effective in preventing it,” Dr Tsui pointed out.

In the past four weeks, the CHP recorded 40 severe cases related to COVID-19, including 10 fatal cases, with the majority of the patients aged 65 or above, he said, adding: “More than 90 percent of them had not received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past six months."

Urging members of the public who are yet to receive the initial dose of the COVID-19 jab to get vaccinated as soon as possible, he said those at high risk, particularly the elderly and people with underlying comorbidities, should receive a booster dose for effective prevention against COVID-19 to minimize the risk of serious complications and death after infection.

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The Hospital Authority activated service demand surge special measures since April 14 to cope with the potential increase in service demand in light of the Easter holiday, the upcoming Labour Day and Buddha’s Birthday holidays, as well as the recent rise in COVID-19 activity locally.