Nine people died in Hong Kong in three days during the first week of the peak flu season, bringing the death toll to 16. The Center of Health Protection recorded a total of 42 severe cases of influenza in adult patients, the Oriental Daily reported.
Over three days starting Friday, seven of the patients who died of flu were aged 65 or above and two were between 50 and 64. Four severe cases of influenza in child patients were recorded, but there were no deaths in this age group.
Meanwhile, public hospitals were flooded with patients as a total of 5,900 people required emergency services on Sunday, an increase of 20% from the week before.
In some hospitals, beds were in short supply.
Tseung Kwan O Hospital in the New Territories was operating at 133% of bed capacity, while Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kowloon’s Jordan, United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong, Caritas Medical Center in Cheung Sha Wan and Pok Oi Hospital in Yuen Long hit more than 120%.
Some patients with less severe symptoms had to wait 20 hours in emergency rooms before being sent to wards, the Apple Daily reported.
Read: Govt urges flu vaccine for kids, the elderly and vulnerable
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