The Centre for Health Protection today announced that local seasonal influenza activity persists at a high level and it is believed that the current influenza season will persist for a period of time. 

It urged members of the public to heighten their vigilance, and people belonging to high risk priority groups to receive the seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) as soon as possible for prevention of severe disease and death.

The centre pointed out that Hong Kong entered the current influenza season in early January, and that according to the latest surveillance data as at the week ending April 20, the majority of positive detections in that period were influenza A (H1), showing a shift from influenza A (H3) which was the dominating virus during January to March.

It also highlighted that the influenza admission rate in public hospitals has remained at a high level of 0.69 cases per 10,000 population and the latest percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for seasonal influenza viruses received by the centre’s laboratories and the Hospital Authority (HA) was also at a high level of 9.76%.

The centre expected more outbreaks and severe cases might be recorded in the upcoming weeks.

Meanwhile, a total of 20 paediatric cases of influenza-associated complication or death were recorded in this influenza season. Among them, three quarters of the cases were known to have not yet received the 2023/24 SIV.

As for other respiratory pathogens, the centre said surveillance data as of April 20 revealed that the rhinovirus or enterovirus continued to have the highest activity level among the respiratory pathogens, accounting for 22% of the children respiratory specimens received by the HA. The next active pathogen is adenovirus, with the positive percentage of 8.6%.

In addition, the percentage of positive specimens for Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children has increased from about 5% two months ago to 8% currently, while the proportion of other respiratory pathogens including respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus and parainfluenza viruses are at 6.7%, 5.5% and 3.5% respectively.

The centre reiterated that many respiratory pathogens, including the influenza virus, may have transmission simultaneously, and vaccination is safe and effective for preventing seasonal influenza.

It urged members of the public who have not received the SIV, in particular high risk groups such as young children, the elderly and chronic disease patients, to get vaccinated as soon as possible.