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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (February 13) called on people to take precautionary measures against influenza infection.
Consultant (Community Medicine) of CHP, Dr S K Chuang said traditional winter influenza season in Hong Kong was February and March and CHP's monitoring and sentinel surveillance systems indicated that Hong Kong was entering the influenza peak season.
Dr Chuang said the sentinel surveillance networks among private doctors and government out-patients clinics detected an increase of influenza-like illness in the community in the three consecutive weeks ending February 2.
During the week ending February 2, consultation rates for influenza-like illness in private doctors and GOPC were 51.3 and 4.4 per 1000 consultations respectively while the corresponding figures for the previous week were 50.7 and 3.8 respectively.
Laboratory surveillance found an increasing number of influenza virus detection recently.
The Public Health Laboratory of CHP found a number of influenza isolates (A/H3N2/Brisbane, A/H1N1/Solomon Islands, B/Yamagata and B/Malaysia) that recently appeared in different countries.
Dr Chuang said the influenza vaccine being used for the current flu season offered some degree of protection against influenza, even if it did not exactly match one of the circulating strains which was the A/H3N2/Brisbane-like virus.
According to serological studies by the World Health Organisation, the current vaccine still offered 40 to 85% of protection against the H3N2 Brisbane-like virus. At the same time, there is good match of the vaccine and circulating A/H1N1 and B/Malaysia-like strains.
The B/Yamagata-like strain had been circulating in Hong Kong in recent years and as such some immunity was expected among local population, Dr Chuang said.
She urged people who were at higher risk of complications from influenza to get vaccinated against influenza as soon as possible as it took two weeks for people to take up immunity.
"The vaccine will offer some degree of protection against influenza-related complications. Those who are eligible for free influenza vaccination under the Government Influenza Vaccination Programme (GIVP) can approach appropriate venues promulgated by the Government," Dr Chuang said.
Dr Chuang said more than 270,000 doses of flu vaccines had been administered to eligible target groups since the GIVP started on November 5 last year and the programme would continue while the vaccine stock lasted.
To prevent influenza, people are advised:
* To build up good body immunity by having a proper diet, regular exercise and adequate rest, reducing stress and avoiding smoking;
* To maintain good personal and environmental hygiene;
* To wash hands after sneezing, coughing or cleaning the nose;
* To maintain good ventilation; and
* To avoid visiting crowded places with poor ventilation.
People, particularly young children, elderly people and those with chronic diseases, should wear face masks and consult their doctors for medical advice promptly if they developed influenza-like symptoms.
Ends/Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:32
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