The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (September 7) announced a case of severe paediatric influenza A infection. The CHP urged the public to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene at all times. Schools and parents should arrange their students and children to participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) programme and receive free SIV to prevent contracting respiratory illnesses.

     "Vaccination is the first line of defence against seasonal influenza, reducing the chance of serious complications or death after infection. Including the abovementioned case, there had been four severe paediatric influenza cases since the school resumed. Since January this year, the CHP has recorded 15 cases of severe influenza virus infection in children, 10 of them were unvaccinated in the 2024/25 season. Therefore, we hope that schools and parents could make concerted efforts with us and participate in the SIV outreach activities at school, or arrange for their children to visit their family doctor for the SIV at the start of the new school year to enhance their protection," the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.

     The case involved a 11-year-old boy with good past health. He developed a fever, a cough and running nose on September 5. He sought medical attention from a private doctor on September 6. He was brought to the Accident and Emergency Department of Ruttonjee Hospital and subsequently transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital the same day. His nasopharyngeal swab specimen was positive for influenza A virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A complicated with encephalopathy. He is still hospitalised and is in stable condition.
     
     The boy’s household contacts, so far, are asymptomatic. He received the SIV last October. There has been no recent influenza outbreak at the school he studied.

     Besides, since the start of the new school year, there has been a significant increase in the number of outbreak of influenza-like illness (ILI). The CHP recorded four ILI outbreaks in schools in the last week of August (August 24 to August 30), increased to 15 outbreaks this week (August 31 to September 6). The 19 outbreaks recorded in the two weeks include kindergartens/child care centres (five cases), primary schools (nine cases) and secondary schools (five cases).

     Although Hong Kong has not entered the summer influenza season so far this year, the CHP's latest surveillance data showed that local influenza activity recently indicated an upward fluctuation and slightly exceeded the baseline threshold. The CHP will cautiously monitor the trend of influenza activity in the next few weeks.

     To protect their health and that of their family members, the public should continue to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene and take the following measures to prevent contracting seasonal influenza and other respiratory illnesses: 
 

• Persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) should wear surgical masks to prevent transmission of respiratory viruses; high-risk persons (e.g. persons with underlying medical conditions or persons who are immunocompromised) should also wear surgical masks when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
• Avoid touching one's eyes, mouth and nose;
• Practise hand hygiene frequently, wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
• When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;
• Cover the mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
• Maintain good indoor ventilation;
• Avoid sharing personal items;
• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, consider refraining from going to work or school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and
• Maintain a balanced diet, perform physical activity regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

    
 ​     ​For the latest information, members of the public can visit the CHP's seasonal influenza and COVID-19 & Flu Express webpages.
 

Ends/Sunday, September 7, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:14

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