Five-year-old girl in serious condition with influenza A
RTHK · 3 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A five-year-old girl with a chronic illness is in serious condition after testing positive for influenza A H1 and developing sepsis. She was taken to Tuen Mun Hospital's accident and emergency department and is now being treated in the paediatric intensive care unit.
Key Points
- The Centre for Health Protection said the girl developed fever, cough with sputum, chills, shivering and shortness of breath on August 7.
- She was taken to the accident and emergency department at Tuen Mun Hospital on August 8 and admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit.
- Laboratory testing on her respiratory sample confirmed influenza A H1, and doctors clinically diagnosed influenza A complicated by sepsis.
- Initial investigation found she had received the 2025/26 seasonal influenza vaccine, had no travel history during the incubation period, and household contacts remain asymptomatic.
- Director of Health Protection Edwin Tsui Lok-kin said Hong Kong entered flu season in late June, with positivity at 9.94% and flu-related admissions at 0.73 per 10,000 last week.
Why It Matters
Health officials expect influenza activity to stay at a high level in the coming weeks, with influenza A H3 and H1 each accounting for 45% of detected strains and influenza B making up the remainder. Authorities are urging children, older people, and those with chronic illnesses or weak immunity to seek medical care quickly if they develop fever or respiratory symptoms, as conditions can deteriorate rapidly.