The Centre for Health Protection reported on Wednesday a serious case of influenza A affecting a 12-year-old boy studying at Conservative Baptist Lui Ming Choi Primary School.
The boy formerly sought medical attention at United Christian Hospital on November 15 for other pre-existing conditions and required hospitalization.
Previously healthy, he began experiencing symptoms including fever and cough on Tuesday. His nasopharyngeal swab specimen tested positive for the influenza A virus, while the clinical diagnosis was influenza A infection complicated by shock.
He is currently hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit in serious condition.
The patient had no recent travel history and had not received the 2025/26 seasonal influenza vaccine (SIV).
His household contacts have shown no symptoms, and there has been no recent influenza outbreak at his school.
Including this case, a total of 20 severe cases of influenza involving children have been recorded this summer, including two deaths. The children involved range in age from 11 months to 17 years.
The Controller of the Centre for Health Protection, Edwin Tsui Lok-kin noted that influenza remains at a high level despite decline in the last week of October. With the possibility of a winter flu season early next year, he urged parents to arrange seasonal influenza vaccination for their children and encouraged all individuals to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
