- Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau does not expect overcrowding in hospitals despite the winter flu surge period already kicking off
- The admission rate of people in public hospitals diagnosed primarily with flu last week went beyond the threshold that meant the start of peak season
Hong Kong’s health minister is confident that the city can tackle surging Covid and flu infections. Photo: Jonathan WongHong Kong’s health minister is confident that the city’s high rate of vaccination against Covid-19 and the flu will be able to aid healthcare workers in fending off a hospital crisis like the one during the fifth coronavirus wave two years ago, despite surges in cases of both infections.
Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau said on Tuesday that Hong Kong had already entered the winter flu surge period this week, with the peak likely to be reached next month.
He said the percentage of flu-positive respiratory specimens handled by public laboratories had gone beyond the threshold that signalled the start of a winter surge period.
The period usually lasted for eight to 12 weeks, and the present one could last until March, Lo said.
“My estimation is that the peak of the surge will happen around late February,” he said. “It will be the time when most people [are infected]. We need to stay prepared and fasten our seat belts.”
Professor David Hui Shu-cheong, an expert in respiratory medicine from Chinese University, said on Sunday that 12.6 per cent of respiratory specimens handled by public labs tested positive for flu.
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Health officials last week warned that both flu and Covid-19 viruses had become more active, and the city could enter the surge period this week.
The admission rate of people in public hospitals diagnosed primarily with flu last week also went beyond the threshold that meant the start of peak season.
Asked if the scenes of elderly people crowding outside public hospital accident and emergency units for hours during the fifth Covid-19 wave in early 2022 would repeat, Lo said the city was better prepared than it was then.
“Our [Covid-19] vaccination rate is much higher now,” Lo said.
He added that almost 95 per cent of the city’s population had received some form of protection against the coronavirus through vaccination or infection.
He added, in contrast, inoculation levels were low when the fifth wave happened.
“At the start [of the fifth wave], the Covid-19 vaccination rate in our care homes was less than 10 per cent,” Lo said.
He added the city’s flu vaccination rate had also improved this year, with more than 1.7 million doses given out since the start of the inoculation programmes last September, a 21 per cent increase compared with the same period the previous year.
Earlier statistics from health authorities also showed that more than 80 per cent of residents in elderly care homes have been inoculated against the flu.
Lo added that other factors – the presence of Covid-19 antivirals, public awareness of the coronavirus and a strengthened capacity in the healthcare system – helped the city to prepare for a surge in various respiratory infections.
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“We don’t want the public to panic, but we hope they will be fearful [of infections],” Lo said. “One will only take precautions when anxious.”
Private family doctor Lam Wing-wo said he had seen a 20 to 30 per cent increase in flu cases in the last week. Covid-19 cases, especially first-time infections, had also increased and patients came from all age groups.
“The symptoms were mild in general, but some elderly patients with many comorbidities and lower blood oxygen levels were referred to public hospitals,” he added.
Lam said that he had carried out rapid antigen tests on all patients who showed symptoms of upper respiratory infections and more than 80 per cent were either flu or Covid-19.
“Many private doctors have bought more rapid tests and antivirals to prepare for the surge ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday next month,” he said.