https://www.scmp.com/rss/326434/feed Latest news and updates on seasonal influenza outbreaks in Hong Kong, including what is being done to combat the virus. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong health authorities have warned parents not to “blindly follow” overseas changes to childhood immunisation schedules, including for the hepatitis B birth dose, after the United States scaled back routine vaccine recommendations for infants. The city’s Centre for Health Protection issued the warning on Wednesday in response to a controversial overhaul by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341491/dont-blindly-follow-us-changes-infant-vaccines-hong-kong-tells-parents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341491/dont-blindly-follow-us-changes-infant-vaccines-hong-kong-tells-parents?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 03:34:40 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong experienced its driest January day on record earlier this week, bucking its reputation for high temperatures and humidity. Relative humidity in the city plunged to 17 per cent on Thursday, the lowest for the month since records started in 1984. To help Hongkongers adjust, the Post speaks to experts about how to manage the cold and dry weather. 1. What is the impact on the respiratory system? Dr Edmund Lam Wing-wo, a family doctor, said the sudden cold and dry weather was conducive to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3339373/hong-kong-just-had-its-driest-january-day-how-does-impact-your-health?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3339373/hong-kong-just-had-its-driest-january-day-how-does-impact-your-health?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 11:50:29 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong has emerged from its summer flu season, which started late and extended into the new year, but a health official is urging the public to get vaccinated immediately to stave off a looming winter surge. This year’s summer influenza season began in early September and reached its peak in mid-to-late October. It lasted about four months, with authorities putting the death toll at 345 people, including three children. Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3339232/hong-kongs-late-summer-flu-season-over-official-says-jabs-still-vital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3339232/hong-kongs-late-summer-flu-season-over-official-says-jabs-still-vital?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:31:17 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong health authorities have urged the public to get the latest seasonal influenza vaccine ahead of the next wave of the flu virus, as temperatures in the city dropped to their lowest so far this winter. The appeal by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) on Saturday coincided with similar calls by an infectious disease specialist, who expressed concerns over the low vaccination rates in the population. The warnings came as temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory in Tsim Sha Tsui dropped... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338621/hongkongers-urged-get-flu-vaccinations-city-braces-winter-virus-wave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338621/hongkongers-urged-get-flu-vaccinations-city-braces-winter-virus-wave?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 11:57:31 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft The emergence of a so-called “super flu” has gripped global headlines, prompting authorities in Hong Kong to urge residents to get vaccinated. Amid the spate of infections, a local research team also found that 99 per cent of residents lacked sufficient antibodies needed to protect themselves from the new strain. With many people travelling for the Christmas holiday, the Post breaks down what the new super flu is, whether it is as dangerous as it sounds and what you can do to protect... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337539/super-flu-spreads-worldwide-how-can-hongkongers-protect-against-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337539/super-flu-spreads-worldwide-how-can-hongkongers-protect-against-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:00:01 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft More than 99 per cent of Hong Kong residents have low immunity against the new “super flu”, a team of researchers has found, as they urged the public to get vaccinated against the rapidly spreading strain. Despite the low level of immunity among the city’s population, the team from the medical faculty at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) on Tuesday assured residents that the current vaccines were still effective at preventing the spread of infection. “These data serve as a clear alert for Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337451/over-99-hongkongers-have-low-immunity-against-super-flu-researchers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337451/over-99-hongkongers-have-low-immunity-against-super-flu-researchers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 06:30:25 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying More than 85 per cent of Hong Kong infants and toddlers remain unvaccinated against the flu, as medical experts urge broader immunisation against respiratory viruses, citing a higher risk of co-infection among especially vulnerable groups this winter. Experts on Sunday warned that if the summer flu peak extended and overlapped with the winter season, respiratory viruses could remain highly active for an extended period. They urged the public to get vaccinated against both influenza and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3333833/86-hong-kong-infants-toddlers-still-unvaccinated-against-flu-health-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3333833/86-hong-kong-infants-toddlers-still-unvaccinated-against-flu-health-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 06:22:43 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Influenza is proving a moving target for health authorities. Mutations of the virus and the prospect of cooler weather have combined to put doctors on heightened alert against the prolongation of the summer flu season. At this stage, it cannot be ruled out that summer and winter flu seasons will overlap. This is after an 11-month-old baby boy has become the second child flu death of the season, following that of a 13-year-old unvaccinated girl last month. These cases, the mutations and the risk... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3333199/hong-kong-must-redouble-vaccination-efforts-amid-threat-longer-flu-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3333199/hong-kong-must-redouble-vaccination-efforts-amid-threat-longer-flu-season?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 22:45:07 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong’s current flu season, driven by a highly transmissible mutated virus strain and compounded by a cold snap, will be significantly prolonged and may overlap with the coming winter season, a leading infectious disease expert has said. David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, also said on Sunday that the city would have to study whether the flu could become perennial – the situation in Singapore – requiring the acquisition of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332971/hong-kongs-seasonal-flu-could-become-year-round-disease-due-virus-mutation-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332971/hong-kongs-seasonal-flu-could-become-year-round-disease-due-virus-mutation-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 07:16:11 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung A mutated influenza virus strain is spreading in Hong Kong, potentially reducing the vaccine’s ability to prevent infection, experts have said, as the city recorded its second child death of the current flu season. Health authorities said on Thursday that the latest death involved an 11-month-old boy. Earlier in the day, experts stressed that the jabs remain effective in protecting against serious complications from a genetically mutated influenza A (H3N2) virus strain that authorities said had... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332642/mutated-flu-strain-spreading-hong-kong-vaccines-remain-key-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332642/mutated-flu-strain-spreading-hong-kong-vaccines-remain-key-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 09:29:42 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying,Emily Hung Lo Hoi-ying,Emily Hung Hong Kong schools have reported a more than sixfold surge in influenza outbreaks since the start of the academic year compared with the winter flu season earlier this year, with 13 children hospitalised since September. The government renewed its calls on Wednesday for children to receive flu jabs after another three severe paediatric cases were reported on consecutive days. The Centre for Health Protection said the latest severe case involved an 11-year-old girl who had previously been in good... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3329899/12-hong-kong-children-intensive-care-flu-prompt-urgent-vaccination-calls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3329899/12-hong-kong-children-intensive-care-flu-prompt-urgent-vaccination-calls?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 06:27:56 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Medical organisations and politicians in Hong Kong, Macau and other parts of Asia have issued a joint appeal to take preventive steps against the spread of influenza across the continent, with a local expert calling on residents to get vaccinated early. Dr Mike Kwan Yat-wah, president of the Asian Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases, said on Sunday that influenza was spreading not only in Hong Kong, but in countries such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Singapore. “After the Covid-19... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3329560/flus-spread-across-asia-prompts-hong-kong-groups-join-vaccination-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3329560/flus-spread-across-asia-prompts-hong-kong-groups-join-vaccination-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 06:50:49 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Hong Kong could face a “relatively severe” summer influenza outbreak that already started late this year, health authorities have warned, as the percentage of positive cases has already exceeded the peak of the previous season and flu activity continues to rise. The Centre for Health Protection said on Thursday evening that at least 451 outbreaks had been reported in schools so far since the start of the academic year in September. Among them, 43 cases occurred in kindergartens or childcare... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3329312/hong-kong-faces-relatively-severe-summer-flu-outbreak-health-authorities-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3329312/hong-kong-faces-relatively-severe-summer-flu-outbreak-health-authorities-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 00:52:00 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Alarm bells were already ringing in Hong Kong before the death of a teenage girl from the flu over the weekend. The case must refocus schools and families on the urgent task of getting children vaccinated as soon as possible while strengthening control measures. The 13-year-old, who attended TWGHs Wong Fung Ling College in Ma On Shan, died on Sunday after contracting influenza B. It was the first paediatric flu-related death reported in the city this year amid a sharp rise in outbreaks in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3329207/unvaccinated-girls-flu-death-reminder-need-community-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3329207/unvaccinated-girls-flu-death-reminder-need-community-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 23:15:14 +0000 Jiang Chuqin,Leopold Chen Jiang Chuqin,Leopold Chen The death of a 13-year-old girl from the flu over the weekend after failing to get vaccinated has raised alarm bells over the seriousness of the disease in Hong Kong. Some health experts warned on Tuesday that the existing flu season is expected to continue into November and urged the public to get vaccinated as a preventive measure. The Post looks at the different types of flu circulating in the city, what health experts say and how residents can protect themselves. What is influenza B? How is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328927/how-differentiate-types-flu-hong-kong-and-how-protect-yourself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328927/how-differentiate-types-flu-hong-kong-and-how-protect-yourself?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:46:18 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s current summer flu season is much more active than last winter’s and is expected to continue into November, a senior health official has warned. Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, said on Tuesday that about 70 outbreaks were recorded weekly over the past month, far exceeding last winter’s peak of around 15, indicating that the virus had been very active this season. But Tsui said the number of cases had not yet peaked and the summer season would last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328891/hong-kongs-summer-flu-season-very-active-may-last-until-november-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328891/hong-kongs-summer-flu-season-very-active-may-last-until-november-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 03:35:05 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong schools and parents should bring forward flu vaccination appointments for children and strengthen control measures, infectious disease specialists have said, warning that influenza B is just as dangerous as type A. They issued the call on Monday, after a 13-year-old girl who had not received the seasonal flu vaccination died in hospital on Sunday following an influenza B infection. The case is the first paediatric flu-related death in Hong Kong this year. “School administrations should... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328764/hong-kong-parents-schools-urged-advance-flu-shots-after-death-13-year-old-girl?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328764/hong-kong-parents-schools-urged-advance-flu-shots-after-death-13-year-old-girl?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 05:45:34 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong health authorities have brushed off concerns about a government-subsidised flu vaccine that lacks clinical trial data on pregnant women, saying doctors will assess this group before any injections. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau urged the public on Monday to get the flu vaccine, just days after worries surfaced over the mainland-China produced Sinovac influenza jab being one of four offerings in the government’s vaccination programmes starting later this month. Authorities have... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3325626/hong-kong-authorities-brush-concerns-over-flu-vaccine-pregnant-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3325626/hong-kong-authorities-brush-concerns-over-flu-vaccine-pregnant-women?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 12:32:28 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung,Wynna Wong Elizabeth Cheung,Wynna Wong Health experts have dismissed concerns about a Hong Kong government-subsidised flu vaccine that does not have clinical trial data on pregnant women, saying the decades-long technology is safe and people with less confidence can turn to the private sector for shots. Authorities said on Tuesday that Hong Kong had entered the summer flu season, a day after concerns were raised when the government revealed that the Sinovac influenza jab would be one of four vaccines offered in its vaccination... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3324940/sinovac-flu-shots-safe-pregnant-women-hong-kong-health-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3324940/sinovac-flu-shots-safe-pregnant-women-hong-kong-health-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:22:35 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung Hong Kong authorities aim to boost the flu vaccine coverage rate for the coming year by requiring schools to provide reasons for formally opting out of an outreach programme, and procure jabs for some family doctors to ensure a steady supply. The Department of Health on Monday unveiled the government’s plan to encourage more people to get flu jabs, with the latest seasonal vaccination programme to start on September 25. Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, noted... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3324778/hong-kong-schools-required-give-reasons-opting-out-flu-jab-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3324778/hong-kong-schools-required-give-reasons-opting-out-flu-jab-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Sep 2025 12:11:39 +0000 Olga Wong Olga Wong Hong Kong residents aged 18 to 49 who have chronic illnesses can receive a subsidised flu jab later this year under health authorities’ plan to expand the city’s vaccination programme, the Post has learned. The new move would help to identify the city’s hidden population with chronic illnesses and provide them with stronger community healthcare support services, according to a government source on Friday. “Apart from encouraging more people to get vaccinated against the flu, the expansion will... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3321170/hongkongers-aged-18-49-chronic-illnesses-can-soon-receive-subsidised-flu-jabs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3321170/hongkongers-aged-18-49-chronic-illnesses-can-soon-receive-subsidised-flu-jabs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 03:51:22 +0000 Sammy Heung Sammy Heung Hong Kong scientists have made a breakthrough in developing a new flu vaccine that is needle-free and has the potential to induce a more robust immune response against various virus strains. The University of Hong Kong’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine said on Thursday that it had developed two novel vaccine approaches, each with its own characteristics and advantages that were expected to be used together to create a new flu jab in the future. Professor Leo Poon Lit-man, chair of public health... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3309546/hong-kong-scientists-make-breakthrough-flu-vaccine-offering-more-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3309546/hong-kong-scientists-make-breakthrough-flu-vaccine-offering-more-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 May 2025 07:22:59 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s health authorities have announced that the city’s winter flu season has ended but warned of the probability of a summer peak later this year. Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, said on Thursday that the city recorded 488 cases of severe influenza in adults over the winter season, with 330 deaths. Ten severe cases involving children were also reported with no fatalities. Tsui said the number of severe and fatal cases was lower than the 2018-19... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3304074/hong-kong-health-authorities-declare-winter-flu-season-over-warn-summer-peak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3304074/hong-kong-health-authorities-declare-winter-flu-season-over-warn-summer-peak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Mar 2025 06:10:16 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong’s flu season is expected to peak at the end of February and last well into March or April as more residents bring the bug back from overseas, a respiratory disease expert has predicted, while a senior health official has warned vaccination rates among young children remain worryingly low. David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said on Saturday the flu season had yet to peak, despite the high number of infections, and he urged... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297896/hong-kongs-flu-season-peak-late-february-stay-elevated-until-april-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297896/hong-kongs-flu-season-peak-late-february-stay-elevated-until-april-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:37:32 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong can expect a spike in flu cases as students and residents return from holiday, a government health expert has warned, adding that the influenza season may last until April. Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, issued the warning on Wednesday following a surge in vaccine inquiries and bookings, after Taiwanese actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan died from flu-triggered pneumonia in Japan. Tsui said flu seasons in Hong Kong typically lasted two to four... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297429/hong-kong-flu-cases-spike-students-residents-return-holiday-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297429/hong-kong-flu-cases-spike-students-residents-return-holiday-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 06:15:53 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung,William Yiu Elizabeth Cheung,William Yiu Hong Kong clinics have received a surge in inquiries and bookings for influenza vaccination following the death of popular Taiwanese actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan, who died from flu-triggered pneumonia. Hsu’s death, which was publicly on Monday and happened while she was travelling in Japan with her family, not only sent shock waves through the Chinese-speaking world, but also appeared to prompt more Hongkongers to get flu vaccinations. A similar sudden surge in demand for flu shots was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297316/flu-jab-inquiries-bookings-rise-hong-kong-after-death-barbie-hsu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297316/flu-jab-inquiries-bookings-rise-hong-kong-after-death-barbie-hsu?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Feb 2025 09:06:26 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Chronically ill patients should consider delaying any planned trips to countries battling flu surges, Hong Kong medical experts have warned, while also urging travellers to keep a record of local emergency numbers and buy insurance ahead of their departure. The warning came after the family of 48-year-old Taiwanese actress Barbie “Big S” Hsu Shi-yuan revealed on Monday that the beloved celebrity had died from pneumonia after contracting flu while travelling in Japan. Hsu also reportedly had a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297210/experts-warn-hong-kong-tourists-medical-conditions-avoid-flu-hit-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297210/experts-warn-hong-kong-tourists-medical-conditions-avoid-flu-hit-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Feb 2025 00:30:07 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau A 19-month-old unvaccinated toddler is in a critical condition after contracting the flu, becoming the ninth serious case of influenza in children recorded since January, Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection has said. The centre said on Saturday the boy was still being treated in a paediatric intensive care unit in hospital and urged residents who had yet to receive their flu shots to do so immediately to minimise the risk of serious complications or death if they became infected. Only a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297033/19-month-old-boy-critical-condition-flu-hong-kong-hospital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3297033/19-month-old-boy-critical-condition-flu-hong-kong-hospital?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Feb 2025 13:59:36 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong has recorded 88 flu deaths since the current influenza season began early this month, up by nearly 30 per cent from the 68 fatalities in the same period during last winter’s surge, according to the latest figures released by the Centre for Health Protection. The health minister on Friday urged hospitals and clinics to help promote flu shots and said a recent decision to publish a list of schools that did not take part in a voluntary inoculation campaign was the right decision. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296962/hong-kong-records-88-flu-deaths-first-weeks-winter-influenza-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296962/hong-kong-records-88-flu-deaths-first-weeks-winter-influenza-season?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jan 2025 11:24:09 +0000 Oscar Liu,Emily Hung Oscar Liu,Emily Hung Medical experts have urged parents not to delay seeking diagnosis and treatment for children with flu symptoms, following a spate of severe cases complicated by other viral and bacterial infections in Hong Kong. Their call came as temperatures were predicted to drop to as low as 10 degree Celsius (50 Farenheit) on Monday under the impact of an intense winter monsoon. The mercury in higher areas such as Tai Mo Shan hit 8.4 degrees on Sunday, prompting calls from authorities for families to pay... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296316/dont-delay-seeking-help-children-flu-symptoms-hong-kong-parents-urged?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3296316/dont-delay-seeking-help-children-flu-symptoms-hong-kong-parents-urged?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2025 05:09:06 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu Hong Kong’s winter flu season will peak in early February, a respiratory disease expert has predicted, while 15 deaths in the second week of January have been confirmed to be people infected with influenza. David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, called for more residents to get flu jabs as the vaccination rate across all age groups fell short of the ideal level, with only 20 per cent of those aged 50 to 64 receiving inoculations. “The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3295364/hong-kong-flu-season-expected-peak-february-15-deaths-confirmed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3295364/hong-kong-flu-season-expected-peak-february-15-deaths-confirmed?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jan 2025 04:23:52 +0000 Hong Kong has entered the influenza season – going by hospital admissions and positive laboratory tests for flu. So soon after a pandemic this may not seem such a big event. But there is no room for complacency about measures that reduce the risk of serious illness, in particular vaccination. Health authorities are on high alert for a severe flu season. Already outbreaks are increasing in schools and institutional settings such as care homes. The number of patients visiting accident and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3294606/cooperation-best-flu-jabs-hong-kongs-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3294606/cooperation-best-flu-jabs-hong-kongs-children?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Jan 2025 23:30:08 +0000 William Yiu,Fiona Sun William Yiu,Fiona Sun Hong Kong’s health minister has stepped up pressure on schools to join the city’s flu jab drive, highlighting the case of an unvaccinated four-year-old child who has been admitted to an intensive care unit with influenza and a pneumococcal infection. The minister’s move on Saturday coincided with a warning from the chief of the city’s public hospitals, who said the number of patients visiting emergency departments had surged to more than 5,000 a day while authorities were boosting staffing to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3294351/hong-kong-minister-says-unvaccinated-child-4-sent-intensive-care-flu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3294351/hong-kong-minister-says-unvaccinated-child-4-sent-intensive-care-flu?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jan 2025 04:37:51 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong schools are seeing a surge in flu outbreaks, health authorities have said, with the city’s forecaster issuing a cold weather warning as temperatures drop. Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the Centre for Health Protection Communicable Disease Branch, told a radio programme on Friday that the city had entered the flu season. “We expect the number of influenza cases to further increase,” he said, noting that schools might experience more outbreaks. He also said the local influenza activity... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3294154/flu-outbreaks-surge-hong-kong-schools-cold-weather-warning-issued?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3294154/flu-outbreaks-surge-hong-kong-schools-cold-weather-warning-issued?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jan 2025 02:48:26 +0000 Oscar Liu,William Yiu Oscar Liu,William Yiu Health authorities have piled pressure on more than 160 schools by publicly naming them for refusing to arrange on-campus influenza vaccinations for pupils, as they warned that Hong Kong has entered the flu season. Among those named by the Department of Health on Thursday were 11 of the 22 international schools operated by the English Schools Foundation (ESF), and a raft of private and subsidised elite institutions. Some education-sector representatives argued that it might be unfair for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3294132/hong-kong-health-officials-take-aim-schools-not-joining-flu-jab-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3294132/hong-kong-health-officials-take-aim-schools-not-joining-flu-jab-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jan 2025 00:30:10 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong’s winter flu season is expected to peak in mid-January, a respiratory disease expert has predicted, noting holidaymakers were returning from countries experiencing H1N1 outbreaks. David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, on Sunday urged high-risk groups including children and elderly residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The latest data from the Centre for Health Protection indicated overall influenza activity remained... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292666/hong-kongs-winter-flu-season-expected-peak-mid-january-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292666/hong-kongs-winter-flu-season-expected-peak-mid-january-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:23:19 +0000 Hong Kong has recorded four severe cases of influenza resulting in three deaths over the past week, with health authorities also observing a slight increase in local Covid-19 activity. The Centre for Health Protection on Thursday gave an update on the number of influenza and coronavirus infections for the week spanning December 15 to 21. The data revealed four adult influenza cases had required intensive care unit admission or resulted in death during that period, a drop from the six cases,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292355/hong-kong-logs-3-deaths-4-severe-flu-cases-low-covid-19-activity-uptick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3292355/hong-kong-logs-3-deaths-4-severe-flu-cases-low-covid-19-activity-uptick?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Dec 2024 11:52:56 +0000 Hong Kong health authorities are considering procuring flu jabs for family doctors taking part in a vaccination scheme to ensure stability in the private market supply, a senior official has said. Undersecretary for Health Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun said on Friday that authorities were aware of supply concerns for private doctors in previous years. Hong Kong authorities have started their vaccination scheme ahead of the expected winter surge of infections. “We know that there has been some instability... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3285792/hong-kong-explore-flu-vaccine-procurement-family-doctors-amid-supply-concerns-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3285792/hong-kong-explore-flu-vaccine-procurement-family-doctors-amid-supply-concerns-official?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Nov 2024 09:20:36 +0000 Hong Kong’s winter flu season may start as early as December and have twin peaks driven by different strains, similar to what happened during the previous one earlier this year, a top infectious disease expert has warned. Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, chair professor of infectious diseases at the University of Hong Kong, said on Saturday that flu activity levels remained low for now but could go up in about two months’ time. “I believe that we are likely to enter the flu season around December,” he told a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3282097/hong-kong-winter-flu-season-may-start-december-peak-twice-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3282097/hong-kong-winter-flu-season-may-start-december-peak-twice-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Oct 2024 05:09:28 +0000 Civic responsibility can sometimes be self-serving as well as good for society. Getting vaccinated against flu before the peak winter season seems an obvious example, yet for far too many Hongkongers it remains a step too often delayed. So, it would be wise to heed the timely advice of the Hospital Authority, which has launched its seasonal influenza vaccination programmes. With flu cases expected to rise as temperatures dip, special outreach projects are targeting schools and residential care... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3280111/seize-opportunity-get-hong-kong-flu-jab-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3280111/seize-opportunity-get-hong-kong-flu-jab-now?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Sep 2024 22:15:07 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Flu cases in Hong Kong are likely to rise as temperatures start to dip, health authorities have warned, with the government stepping up efforts to get more toddlers vaccinated. The Hospital Authority said it would launch its seasonal influenza vaccination programmes on Thursday, including special outreach projects targeting schools and residential care homes. The latest list of venues offering seasonal flu jabs will also include 16 district health centres. From 9am on Wednesday, families can... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3279492/hongkongers-urged-get-flu-jabs-experts-warn-cases-likely-surge-when-mercury-drops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3279492/hongkongers-urged-get-flu-jabs-experts-warn-cases-likely-surge-when-mercury-drops?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Sep 2024 23:30:18 +0000 Hong Kong’s longest influenza season has come to an end after 28 weeks, health authorities have said. The Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection confirmed on Thursday that the flu season, which started in mid-January, had finished, but appealed to the public to maintain a high standard of hygiene. “The current influenza season lasted for 28 weeks, which is not common in Hong Kong,” a department spokesman said. “The Centre for Health Protection believes that this prolonged influenza... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3271914/hong-kongs-longest-flu-season-comes-end-after-more-6-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3271914/hong-kongs-longest-flu-season-comes-end-after-more-6-months?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2024 13:41:47 +0000 Hong Kong can learn from Singapore by acquiring vaccines designed for both the northern and southern hemispheres if the city’s flu seasons continue year-round, a leading government health adviser has said. David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a member of the government’s Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, said on Saturday the move could be needed to combat the changing pattern of influenza seasons after the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3267646/hong-kong-can-learn-singapore-buying-flu-vaccines-2-hemispheres-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3267646/hong-kong-can-learn-singapore-buying-flu-vaccines-2-hemispheres-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jun 2024 06:10:23 +0000 Hongkongers can expect only a short gap between the current flu season and the next one, but the coming wave is likely to be weaker, according to a leading infectious diseases expert. Ivan Hung Fan-ngai, chair professor of infectious diseases at the University of Hong Kong, said on Saturday that the current flu season, which started in January, might last for another one to two months. “The current [influenza A subtype] H1 outbreak might last till June or July before it drops. Then there might... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3263182/hong-kongs-next-flu-season-quickly-follow-current-one-likely-be-weaker-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3263182/hong-kongs-next-flu-season-quickly-follow-current-one-likely-be-weaker-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2024 05:46:04 +0000 Parents should not delay seeking treatment for their children if they contract the flu, a respiratory expert has said, warning the current Hong Kong influenza season may spill into the summer. David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said on Sunday that the patterns of seasonal influenza activity had changed due to the city’s prolonged mask mandate during the Covid-19 pandemic. “It no longer just comes between January and March and then... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3262362/hong-kong-parents-shouldnt-delay-flu-treatment-children-expert-says-warning-influenza-season-may?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3262362/hong-kong-parents-shouldnt-delay-flu-treatment-children-expert-says-warning-influenza-season-may?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 May 2024 07:02:39 +0000 Hong Kong’s influenza infections are surging and the current flu season may overlap with an approaching summer spike, a medical expert has warned, adding the city should discuss including the vaccination on the list of recommended jabs for children. With flu infections having already claimed the lives of four children this year, Dr Mike Kwan Yat-wah, an honorary associate professor at the University of Hong Kong’s department of paediatrics and adolescent medicine, urged parents on Saturday to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3262309/hong-kong-faces-overlapping-flu-seasons-should-discuss-making-vaccine-mandatory-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3262309/hong-kong-faces-overlapping-flu-seasons-should-discuss-making-vaccine-mandatory-expert-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 May 2024 07:40:52 +0000 The declaration that Covid-19 was no longer a public health crisis around this time last year may have given many people suffering from coronavirus fatigue the impression individual health was no longer under threat. This false sense of security was only further reinforced when the cold season, which is traditionally associated with flu infections, turned out warmer. However, the truth is that it was not too long ago when Hong Kong was still grappling with the double whammy of Covid and seasonal... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3260997/hong-kong-child-deaths-stress-need-have-flu-jabs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3260997/hong-kong-child-deaths-stress-need-have-flu-jabs?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2024 22:30:22 +0000 Hong Kong health authorities have urgently appealed to the public to take flu shots following the death of a third child from the virus this year, warning that more severe cases of respiratory diseases are coming. The Centre for Health Protection warned on Tuesday that the dominating flu virus strain might change for a second time given the higher rate of travel by residents, possibly extending a flu season that was already longer than usual. “For those who haven’t been vaccinated yet, they... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260913/death-third-hong-kong-child-flu-sparks-urgent-appeal-public-receive-influenza-shots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260913/death-third-hong-kong-child-flu-sparks-urgent-appeal-public-receive-influenza-shots?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:11:17 +0000 A low vaccination rate might have prolonged the flu season in Hong Kong as poor herd immunity allows a different strain of the virus to dominate, medical experts have said after health authorities sounded a warning. The Centre for Health Protection drew attention to the possibility of a longer influenza season on Thursday evening after it revealed a six-year-old girl became the second child to die from the flu this year. The centre said that the city’s dominating flu virus strain had shifted... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260393/low-herd-immunity-hong-kong-may-prolong-flu-season-experts-warn-after-six-year-old-girl-dies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3260393/low-herd-immunity-hong-kong-may-prolong-flu-season-experts-warn-after-six-year-old-girl-dies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Apr 2024 00:30:13 +0000 An unvaccinated eight-year-old Hongkonger has died after contracting the flu amid warnings the city’s low inoculation rate is putting children at greater risk of infection, especially as immunities have been weakened following the Covid-19 pandemic. Authorities said on Saturday evening that the girl, who had a good bill of past health, had developed a fever and cough on Wednesday before suffering from convulsions the following day. She was taken to Kwong Wah Hospital, where she tested positive... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259733/hong-kong-children-greater-risk-flu-due-low-vaccination-rate-expert-warns-world-pays-immunity-debt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3259733/hong-kong-children-greater-risk-flu-due-low-vaccination-rate-expert-warns-world-pays-immunity-debt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Apr 2024 05:29:09 +0000