Across Asia - from Singapore to Hong Kong and China - spike in virus cases follows Lunar New Year

Residents line up to get tested for the coronavirus at a temporary testing center for Covid-19 in Hong Kong Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. The number of local Covid-19 infections in several Asian countries, including Hong Kong and Singapore, have spiked following the Lunar New Year holidays, and are expected to continue to rise as countries grapple with the highly-transmissible omicron variant. - AP

SINGAPORE, Feb 7 (AP): Many Asian countries are facing a spike in Covid-19 infections after the widely-celebrated Lunar New Year holidays, as health officials grapple with the highly-transmissible omicron variant and expectations that numbers will continue to rise in coming weeks.

The Lunar New Year, which is China’s biggest holiday, was celebrated across Asia on Feb. 1 even as pandemic restrictions in many countries kept crowds and family outings to a minimum.