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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (March 17) received five new reports concerning children admitted to public or private hospitals because of suspected influenza-related complications, bringing the accumulative number of cases under the influenza surveillance arrangement to 17.
A CHP spokesman said that among the 17 cases, five had laboratory evidence of influenza infection. One of these five cases involved a 12-year-old girl reported to CHP today. She was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital on March 16 and is now in serious condition.
The remaining four cases included a two-year-old girl admitted to Tseung Kwan O Hospital on March 13 and a three-year-old boy admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital on March 11. Both of them are in stable condition.
The other two girls aged seven and eight, admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on March 11 and March 7 respectively, were discharged.
CHP is following up on the remaining reports.
The influenza surveillance arrangement has been implemented between CHP and local hospitals to monitor the trend of complications suspected to be related to influenza in children since March 13.
Meanwhile, the CHP followed up on four new reports of influenza-like illness (ILI) outbreaks affecting four secondary schools involving 23 people (see Annex).
The spokesman said that ILI may be caused by influenza or other respiratory viruses. CHP's officials have provided health advice to the staff of all these institutions.
The telephone hotline (2125-1133) set up by CHP to answer public enquiries on seasonal influenza has so far received 197 calls. It will continue to operate between 9 am and 6 pm from Monday to Friday.
More details of the institutional outbreaks, preventive tips and the daily update of influenza situation are now available in CHP's website (http://www.chp.gov.hk).
Ends/Monday, March 17, 2008
Issued at HKT 20:20
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