Flu risk still looms as HK records 137 deaths during current peak season

Hong Kong has recorded a total of 137 cases of death due to influenza during the winter influenza season as of Wednesday, with the Centre for Health Protection on Thursday saying the overall influenza activity remained elevated.

According to the center’s weekly Flu Express, among the 137 cases of death, 123 cases were elderly aged over 65, 10 being people aged 50 to 64, and 4 were aged between 18 and 49.

Between January 26 and February 1, the percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza viruses was 9.67 percent, slightly lower than the 10.54 percent in the previous week.

During the week, there were 55 cases of severe influenza infections of adults admitted to the intensive care units or death, of which 32 of them were fatal. 

Among the 55 adult cases, 44 had not been vaccinated.

In the first four days of this week, from Sunday to Wednesday, 32 cases of adult severe infections were recorded, with 15 of them fatal.

For influenza infections among students, from January 26 to Wednesday, the center recorded five cases of pediatric severe influenza-associated complications or death, involving children aged between 10 months to 12 years old.

Complications included severe pneumonia, shock, encephalitis, and sepsis. Four of them didn’t take influenza jabs for this season.

“Five influenza outbreaks occurring in schools/institutions were recorded last week, affecting 19 people, as compared to 28 outbreaks in the previous week,” said the CHP.

However, eight outbreaks were recorded among schools/institutions this week, involving 34 people.

(Eunice Lam)