Hong Kong reports 18 new COVID-19 cases

Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) reported 18 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, falling for four days in a row, bringing the total confirmed cases to 4,604.

The new cases comprise one imported infection from India and 17 local infections, Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the CHP's Communicable Disease Branch, told media at a briefing.

Among the local cases, 12 were related to previously confirmed cases. The sources of the other five cases are currently unknown.

According to Hong Kong's Hospital Authority, 660 patients are still hospitalized, including 31 people in critical condition. The accumulated number of COVID-19-related deaths has risen to 73.