Hospital Authority chief warns of flu surge as Hong Kong enters mask-free winter

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority chief has warned of an impending surge in flu cases, noting it will be the first winter without a mandatory mask-wearing policy that took effect during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tony Ko Pat-sing, chief executive of the Hospital Authority, made the prediction after the Department of Health said it would investigate a case of severe influenza A infection involving a 16-year-old boy who was found unconscious two days after developing a runny nose.

“I would ask Hongkongers to be extremely careful for the coming winter since it will be the first one where people are not required to wear masks,” Ko told a television programme on Sunday, referring to the city dropping its face covering mandate starting March 1. “People, children in particular, will be more vulnerable as they have not been exposed to any major flu virus in the past three years.”

The authority chief said he expected the number of infections to reach a high level, given contact between people had increased, adding the city saw a similar surge in cases in the past summer after the lifting of pandemic-related social-distancing curbs.

“So I would urge Hongkongers to get vaccinated as soon as possible since the jab usually takes several weeks to take effect,” Ko said, adding that the period before the beginning of the winter season was a “golden time” for inoculation.

The Centre for Health Protection under the Department of Health on Saturday said it was investigating the case of the 16-year-old boy, who remained in serious condition that evening. The patient had good past health and no travel history during the incubation period.

He developed a runny nose last Thursday and was found unconscious on Saturday. He was then sent to Tuen Mun Hospital where he was found to have a fever and suffered convulsions.

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“His nasopharyngeal swab was positive for influenza A (H3) virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was paediatric influenza infection complicated with encephalopathy,” a centre spokesman said.

“Influenza can cause serious illnesses in high-risk individuals and even healthy persons. Seasonal influenza vaccination is one of the most effective means to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications, as well as reducing influenza-related hospitalisation and death.”

The spokesman added a person infected with both the flu and Covid at the same time could develop more serious symptoms and face a higher risk of death.

It was important to get vaccinated against both infections as soon as possible, particularly for children and elderly residents in community or residential care homes, the spokesman added.

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Authority chief Ko said the summer flu season had subsided from its peak, alleviating some of the pressure on the public healthcare system.

The overall occupancy rate at public hospitals had decreased to about 90 per cent, but some hospitals had recorded a relatively high number of patient visits during different times of the day, he added.

Separately, he also said the authority’s efforts to retain talent in public healthcare, such as raising salaries and improving the work environment, had stabilised the turnover rate and led to an increase in the number of medical workers.

But Ko stopped short of revealing how many workers were needed to plug the shortage of personnel.