Low herd immunity in Hong Kong may prolong flu season, experts warn after 6-year-old girl dies
- Low vaccination rate may make it easier for dominating flu virus strain to shift, medical professors say
- Six-year-old girl becomes second child to die from flu this year, according to health authorities
The Centre for Health Protection drew attention to the possibility of a longer influenza season on Thursday evening after it revealed a six-year-old girl became the second child to die from the flu this year.
The centre said that the city’s dominating flu virus strain had shifted from influenza A subtype H3 seen in the January to March period to subtype H1 recorded in the most recent cases.
“The duration [of the flu season] would be prolonged when there is a transition of the dominating virus strain,” the centre said. “It is believed that the current influenza season will persist for a period of time and more outbreaks and severe cases might be recorded in the coming weeks.”
While the city entered the current flu season in early January this year, the extension meant that it would last longer than the average flu period of eight to 12 weeks.
Dr Wong Hoi-kei, an epidemiologist at the centre, told a radio show on Friday morning that Hong Kong had recorded 20 severe cases of flu in children, including two deaths, since the start of the influenza season.
