People visit a bar in Hong Kong on Dec 29, 2022, as the city does away with COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine passes for bars and other venues. (ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

HONG KONG – Hong Kong registered 27,830 COVID-19 cases on Friday, including 946 imported ones, as 72 more people died after catching the virus, health authorities said.

Among the 26,884 local infections, 4,839 tested positive by nucleic acid tests while the remaining 22,045 through rapid antigen tests, said the Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection.

The last time the number of new cases reached over 27,000 was on March 16, when 29,272 were recorded

The last time the number of new cases reached over 27,000 was on March 16, when 29,272 were recorded. There were 24,897 new infections on Thursday and 20,865 on Wednesday.      

The 72 new reported deaths brought the city’s toll during the current fifth wave of infections to 11,542, the CHP said. 

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Forty-eight residential care homes for the elderly and people with disabilities had 77 new infections, it said.

Fifty-one schools reported 48 students and 47 staff members testing positive for the coronavirus, the CHP added.   

In a separate statement, the Hospital Authority said 5,196 coronavirus patients were being treated in public hospitals, including 711 new patients. The overall occupancy of medical beds in acute hospitals is around 119 percent.

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The HA said 719 required required oxygen therapy while 88 needed ventilator support. It added that 212 patients in critical condition, including 55 needing intensive care, while 175 were in serious condition.