Covid-19 Cases Surge in Hong Kong, Singapore, Asia

Hong Kong and Singapore are experiencing a significant surge in Covid-19 cases, marking the highest increase in infections in over a year. In Hong Kong, the positivity rate of respiratory samples and severe Covid cases, including deaths, have reached a year-long peak, with virus activity described as “quite high” and sewage surveillance indicating increased viral load. Singapore reported a 28% rise in estimated cases and a nearly 30% increase in hospitalizations, prompting the Health Ministry to issue its first update in almost a year, attributing the surge primarily to waning immunity rather than more transmissible or severe variants. The primary circulating variants in Singapore are LF.7 and NB.1.8, offshoots of the JN.1 strain. The rise in cases is not limited to these cities; China’s test positivity rates are doubling in hospital settings and nearing last summer’s peak, while Thailand is also seeing clusters, especially after the April Songkran festival. Health authorities in the region are closely monitoring the situation and urging continued vigilance as the new wave spreads across Asia.