Hong Kong: Child deaths spark urgent push for flu jabs by experts

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.thestandard.com.hk/secti...abs-by-experts


Child deaths spark urgent push for flu jabs by experts
Local | Wallis Wang 6 May 2024


The medical sector is urging children, the elderly, the pregnant and chronically ill patients to get vaccinated against seasonal flu as soon as possible to prevent serious complications such as brain inflammation.

That came in a joint appeal by 15 medical groups, including the Hong Kong Paediatric Society, the Hong Kong Society for Infectious Diseases and the Hong Kong Geriatric Society, along with Legislative Council members David Lam Tzit-yuen and Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan...

... These recommendations are particularly timely as they follow the unfortunate death of a four-year-old girl with no known health issues. The girl passed away on April 29 after being infected with influenza A, marking the third death of a child due to seasonal flu within a two-week period.

The girl had been experiencing a fever and sore throat since April 25 and was initially taken to St Paul's Hospital. Due to worsening symptoms, she was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, but unfortunately, her condition did not improve.

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...fections-surge

Hong Kong records fourth death of child from flu this year as infections surge
Boy, 6, was admitted to Prince Wales Hospital on Monday and later sent to paediatric intensive care unit, before dying on Wednesday afternoon
Centre for Health Protection says 14.54 per cent of 10,644 respiratory specimens collected last week tested positive for flu, surpassing baseline threshold of 9.21 per cent
Oscar Liu
Published: 8:44pm, 9 May 2024

A fourth child has died from influenza in Hong Kong this year, as the city battles a sharp rise in infections amid the current flu season.

The six-year-old boy had no history of poor health and had not received a flu jab before he was taken to a private doctor with a fever and a runny nose last Saturday.

The child was sent to Prince Wales Hospital on Monday after his condition worsened. He was then admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit after he became critical.

The child died on Wednesday afternoon.

Laboratory tests on the boy’s respiratory specimen came back positive for influenza A (H1)...