Hong Kong flu season already more virulent than last year, with nine more deaths in the space of three days
- The fatalities bring to 16 the number of deaths this year so far, up from seven last year. The total number of cases is 47, five of whom are minors
- Authorities have asked people with non-urgent ailments to seek alternative health care services, as emergency wards are stretched to breaking point
Winter flu in Hong Kong appeared to be more deadly than last year, having claimed nine more lives in the space of three days, pushing up the death toll to 16 this year.
Four more children with influenza were reported to be suffering from serious symptoms as of Sunday, alongside a total of 42 adult cases requiring intensive care since the start of the winter flu season.
The toll was much higher than last year when there were only 19 serious cases reported in the first week of 2018, of whom seven died.
Public hospitals have been stretched to breaking point with an average occupancy rate of medical wards at 115 per cent on Sunday – the highest so far this year, meaning extra temporary beds had to be laid along corridors or in between beds.
Tseung Kwan O Hospital even saw an occupancy rate of 133 per cent, with the most congested wards among all clinics.
At public accident and emergency units, non-urgent patients complained of waits of over eight hours in some of the busiest hospitals, including United Christian Hospital in Kowloon East and North District Hospital in the New Territories. The Hospital Authority said some 5,910 people had flooded the A&E units of public hospitals on Sunday.