Hong Kong reports 6 new imported COVID-19 cases

HONG KONG, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported six new imported cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, taking the total tally to 12,410.

Five of the cases involved mutant strains while the viral load of the remaining case is insufficient for mutation tests. A total of 36 cases have been reported in the past 14 days and all of them were imported, according to the CHP.

Hong Kong's vaccination drive is making steady progress. Since the launch of the government inoculation program in late February, more than 4.7 million people, or 69.9 percent of the eligible population, have taken at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccines, while around 4.5 million people, or 66.9 percent, are fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, eligible groups to receive a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccines will be expanded to cover more people in Hong Kong.

A total of 86,870 people have taken the booster shot in Hong Kong as of 7:00 p.m. local time Monday.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government expects the third dose administration to cover about 1.86 million people.