Scores of patients crowd the waiting hall of a clinic on Hong Kong Island during the influenza epidemic in July 1968. Photo: SCMP Scores of patients crowd the waiting hall of a clinic on Hong Kong Island during the influenza epidemic in July 1968. Photo: SCMP
Scores of patients crowd the waiting hall of a clinic on Hong Kong Island during the influenza epidemic in July 1968. Photo: SCMP
Lifestyle /  Health & Wellness

How Hong Kong flu struck without warning 50 years ago, and claimed over a million lives worldwide

Known formally as H3N2, the flu strain was highly contagious, and left clinics in the city packed, with 500,000 people infected, before it steadily spread through Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Europe and the US

Topic |   Hong Kong health care and hospitals
Kylie Knott
Kylie Knott

Updated: 3:19pm, 13 Jul, 2018

Why you can trust SCMP
Scores of patients crowd the waiting hall of a clinic on Hong Kong Island during the influenza epidemic in July 1968. Photo: SCMP Scores of patients crowd the waiting hall of a clinic on Hong Kong Island during the influenza epidemic in July 1968. Photo: SCMP
Scores of patients crowd the waiting hall of a clinic on Hong Kong Island during the influenza epidemic in July 1968. Photo: SCMP
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