Hong Kong urges children to get vaccine jabs as flu kills unvaccinated girl, 13
Student, infected with the influenza B virus, had not yet received flu jab for current 2025-2026 season
A 13-year-old girl who had not received the seasonal influenza vaccination has died in hospital following an infection, the first paediatric flu-related death in Hong Kong this year.
The previously healthy girl developed symptoms including a fever, coughing, a sore throat, and a runny nose from Sunday last week, according to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP).
Her condition worsened over the week, and she collapsed at home on Thursday.
She was initially admitted to Prince of Wales Hospital and later transferred to Hong Kong Children’s Hospital the same day.
A nasopharyngeal swab confirmed she was infected with the influenza B virus, a CHP spokesman said.
Her condition deteriorated on Sunday, and she died later that day.
The student, who attended TWGHs Wong Fung Ling College in Ma On Shan, was vaccinated under the government’s 2024-2025 seasonal influenza vaccination [SIV] programme but had not yet received the jab for the current 2025-2026 season, which had started, the centre added.