A three-year-old girl died from flu on Monday after a nine-day battle with the virus at United Christian Hospital in Kowloon, the first child fatality of the winter influenza season in Hong Kong.
As of Sunday, a total of 44 adults and one child had suffered from severe influenza infections in the previous two weeks, and 23 of them had died.
According to a release from the Center for Health Protection, the three-year-old girl, who had a good health record, developed fever, a cough, a runny nose and a sore throat before she was found unresponsive and exhibiting cyanosis on January 6 and was subsequently sent to United Christian Hospital.
She was diagnosed with encephalopathy and tested positive for the influenza B virus.
The girl had not received a flu shot and had no travel history. Her father had symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection recently.
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old girl was admitted to Yan Chai Hospital on Sunday and transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit of Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung for further management on Monday, the CHP said.
Laboratory tests were positive for the influenza B virus and the girl was listed in serious condition.
The girl received a flu shot in mainland China last month but had no recent travel record during the incubation period.
Separately, an influenza B outbreak at a primary school in Sham Shui Po involved 19 boys and nine girls aged six to 11, who have developed fever, coughs and sore throats since January 6.
All of them sought medical attention and one required hospitalization. They are all in a stable condition.
true,highblood cya sa pag0d stress sa w0rk,kulang sa 2l0g mraming gwain,ang pinsan q 225 ang prisy0n nya muntik ng ma str0k buti nlang pmunta nsa 0spital,7 t0 9 ang w0rk nya 2 d0gs,3 st0ry bhay 2 babys,hand wash lhat ng dmit,bawal spin piga,ir0n lhat,1week n may lagnat pa ngaun,ingat mga kbayan,,
Very scary illness ,better take flu shut every year to avoid influenza as weather here in Hongkong is so unpredictable and pollution was so bad so better take cate of yourself folks and take exercise everyday..
Health is wealth
Dear Asia Times Staff, Travel history is not relevant to your stories about Influenza B, because it is locally endemic.