Hong Kong will reach the flu peak in two to four weeks' time and Under Secretary for Food & Health Prof Gabriel Leung does not rule out the possibility of complications and deaths from the human swine flu pandemic.
The Centre for Health Protection today confirmed 11 new cases of the virus, bringing the tally of human swine flu cases in Hong Kong to 84.
Prof Leung was speaking on two different radio shows this morning. He said deaths could occur from human swine flu during the peak season.
"On average, we have had around 1,000 deaths each year from common flu and its complications. So I don't rule out the possibility of complications, even deaths, from human swine flu when we enter the peak season in two to four weeks' time," he said.
"Medical staff, children under six, elderly and chronic patients have a high risk of getting the swine flu and its complications. Since the risk is likely to be higher than the risk of getting adverse effects from the swine flu vaccine, procuring the vaccine for these people is a safe way to play."
Since Hong Kong has entered the mitigation phase of fighting the pandemic, Prof Leung said it is now important to gain clinical experience and monitor the number of common flu and swine flu cases.
11 new confirmed cases
While the human swine flu vaccine may be available in November, Prof Leung said whether or not to kick off the injection programme will depend on the manufacturers' clinical tests results, whether they can register with the United States' Food & Drug Administration and the experiences from the US and Europe after using the vaccine.
"The US and Europe will enter the winter flu peak season a month earlier than we will, so we'll see how things go there and decide when we should start the programme," he said.
Today's new cases involved a 28-year-old domestic helper who returned from the Philippines on June 10 and a 17-year-old female student who returned from Thailand yesterday on flight PG805. She was sitting in row 9.
Other cases involved a 21-year-old male student who returned from Vancouver yesterday on flight AC007, sitting in row 51; and a 27-year-old Canadian man who arrived yesterday on flight AC15, sitting in row 40.
The fifth case involved a 19-year-old woman who has been to Jiangxi, Guangzhou and Hong Kong from the beginning of the month until yesterday, when she was admitted to Kwong Wah Hospital. She returned from the Mainland by train on June 10.
The sixth case involved a 36-year-old man who returned from Thailand on June 10 on flight OX200, sitting in row 6. The seventh case is a 15-year-old girl who returned from the US via Tokyo on June 11on flight NW7, sitting in row 33.
The eighth to 10th cases involved a three-member family - a 39-year-old man, his 40-year-old wife and 19-year-old daughter. The man returned from Thailand on June 10 on flight CI642, sitting in row 17, and became sick on the same day. His wife and daughter came down with a fever and cough yesterday.
The day's last case is a 13-year-old St Paul's Convent School student.
"All cases we have had so far are mild and no one had complications. Thirty of them have been discharged from hospital and the others are stable," he said.
236 patients went to flu clinics
The Hospital Authority's eight designated flu clinics started operation today. The operation was smooth and orderly, recording a total attendance of 236 patients. Fifty-two samples have been collected from the patients for further tests.
The authority chairman Anthony Wu admitted there was some confusion and inconvenience caused to chronic patients who now need to go to other drug-refill clinics to get their medication.
"Not too many people went to the flu clinics this morning. Some flu clinics provide shuttle buses to take chronic patients to the drug-refill clinics. We are doing our best to minimise inconvenience caused to them," he said after inspecting the clinics.
The authority's family medicine chief of Hong Kong East Cluster Dr Daniel Chu said there are hyper filters at all flu clinics to ensure good ventilation inside, and the air directed outdoors is filtered and free of virus.
Due to manpower needs, the Central District Health Centre and Tin Shui Wai North General Outpatient Clinic will suspend service from today and June 15. Drug-refill arrangements have been made for chronic patients.
People can call the authority's general enquiry hotlines, 2882 4866 or 2300 6555, for details.