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COVID-19 Cases Hit Record Highs in Asian Countries as Omicron Variant Surges

HeadlineFeb 18, 2022

Coronavirus cases are surging in many Asian countries as the Omicron variant spreads throughout the region. In Hong Kong, quarantine facilities are full, and 95% of hospital beds are occupied, as authorities said they will reduce the duration of hospital and supervised isolation stays for some patients to ease the strain on the health system. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she’s finalizing plans to have all city residents get tested for COVID-19.

Malaysia and South Korea also reported record caseloads this week, with South Korea topping 100,000 daily infections for the first time. 

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