Hong Kong, December 27 (ANI): Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection (CHP) on Monday reported nine new imported cases of COVID-19, taking the total tally of confirmed cases to 12,598, media reported on Monday.

According to Xinhua news agency, the newly reported cases involved mutant strains and were five males and four females, aged 19 to 59.

Also Read | Omicron Variant Will Spike COVID-19 Cases 'Much Higher', Says Top US Scientist Dr Anthony Fauci.

A total of 101 cases have been reported in the past 14 days. One of them is an import-related case, while the rest are imported cases, according to the CHP, the media outlet reported.

Meanwhile, the whole genome sequencing analysis of 14 cases announced earlier confirmed they all carried the Omicron variant of COVID-19, bringing the total number of Omicron infections to 58 in Hong Kong.

Also Read | New York Sees Four-Cold Rise in Children Hospitalisations Due to Omicron Spread.

Xinhua also reported that since the launch of the government inoculation program in late February, about 4.86 million people or 72.1 per cent of the eligible population have taken at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccines, while about 4.64 million or 68.8 per cent of the eligible population have taken two doses.

Meanwhile, a total of 350,718 people had taken the booster shot in Hong Kong as of 7:00 p.m. local time Sunday, according to Xinhua news agency. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)