“It can be viewed as the sixth wave of coronavirus infections. But it already peaked last week and the wave is expected to linger for a few more weeks before it subsides,” he told a radio programme.

“Among the cases, about 95.8 per cent were infected with XBB subvariant, which has rendered the first two generations of vaccines less effective. But for those who have been vaccinated, their infections were mostly mild with fewer serious cases and a reduced risk of fatality.”

Speaking in a separate television show, health minister Lo Chung-mau said Hong Kong had passed a wave of Covid-19 infections.

“The estimated number of infections was not low, but the impact on our healthcare system was insignificant,” Lo said. “The peak has also passed.”

He added that the government would continue to monitor the virus in various ways, including sewage surveillance and the number of cases handled by public and private clinics.