Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong remain at 68

Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Friday that the number of the confirmed novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Hong Kong remained at 68 with one probable case as of 8:00 p.m. local time.

At its daily press briefing on Friday, the CHP reported that a case confirmed on Feb. 20 involved a 48-year-old police officer.

"We have requested the police to help us trace probable cases and initiate related system to handle major events and disasters," head of the CHP's Communicable Disease Branch Chuang Shuk-kwan said.

Chuang told the press briefing that the police officer attended a banquet with 59 colleagues on Feb. 18. All attendees were treated as close contacts and are undergoing quarantine.

Chuang said that the patient also went to a restaurant in Yau Tong, Kowloon, and relevant contacts would be traced.

The Hospital Authority said at the press briefing that the protective equipment in stock could last a month, adding that non-emergency services could be readjusted to ensure that all frontline workers have enough protective equipment.

Among the 68 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one suspected one, two patients have passed away, six have been cured and discharged from the hospital, while the others remain hospitalized.