CHP prompts trainees to get seasonal influenza vaccination early in brand-new academic year as one case of serious paediatric influenza A infection reported
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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (September 12) revealed a case of serious paediatric influenza A infection. The CHP prompted the general public to keep great individual and ecological health at all times. Schools and moms and dads need to organize their trainees and kids to take part in the seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) program and get complimentary SIV to avoid contracting breathing health problems.
The case included a 12-year-old young boy with underlying diseases. He established a fever, cough and shortness of breath on September 11. He went to the Accident and Emergency Department of Ruttonjee Hospital and was confessed to the paediatric extensive care system of the healthcare facility on the very same day. His nasopharyngeal and throat swab specimen evaluated favorable for the influenza An infection upon lab screening. The scientific medical diagnosis was influenza A infection made complex with shock. He is still hospitalised and remains in steady condition.
The CHP examination revealed that the young boy had actually gotten the 2024/25 SIV. 7 other homeowners in the domestic care home (RCH) he lived established moderate influenza signs on September 11. They have actually looked for medical treatment and none needed hospitalisation. The CHP have actually encouraged the RCH to embrace needed infection control steps, consisting of recommending all homeowners and personnel to use masks, seclusion of symptomatic homeowners, opening windows where suitable for much better ventilation in the RCH, extensive cleansing and disinfection of the RCH and increasing frequency of disinfection. The RCH has actually been put under medical security.
Hong Kong has actually gone into the summertime influenza season, break outs of influenza-like disease (ILI) in schools and RCHs have actually considerably increased over the previous 2 weeks. The CHP tape-recorded 26 ILI break outs in schools and RCHs throughout the week of August 31 to September 6, impacting an overall of 323 individuals. In the very first 6 days of this week (September 7 to 12), 62 break outs (impacting 567 individuals) were taped. Amongst these break outs, 15 cases (impacting 264 individuals) and 55 cases (impacting 518 individuals) included schools respectively, consisting of kindergartens/child care centres (8 cases), main schools (39 cases) and secondary schools (23 cases). Amongst these, 6 break outs in schools impacted in between 23 and 112 individuals.
The DH revealed that the 2025/26 SIV Programmes would begin on September 25 to offer a totally free or subsidised SIV to qualified high-risk groups through numerous vaccination programs. A variety of brand-new efforts have actually been presented to motivate and allow public involvement, consisting of additional improving the SIV School Outreach Programme so that all schools might pick to utilize the live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV nasal vaccines) and “hybrid mode”i.e. schools being permitted to select both injectable suspended influenza vaccines (IIV) and LAIV for the exact same or various outreach vaccination activities.
To make vaccinations more available, the Government will open all 29 of the DH’s Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) for all kids aged 6 months to under 2 years. The 25 District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses and their service outlets under the Primary Healthcare Commission, and 74 basic outpatient centers and 38 public medical facilities of the Hospital Authority to offer more options for the public. For a list of vaccination places, please describe the CHP’s Vaccination Schemes page. Beginning with 9am on September 22, moms and dads of qualified kids might reserve a consultation for their kids to get vaccinations at designated MCHCs by means of the online reservation system.
The CHP advised high-risk individuals to use surgical masks when checking out public locations. The public must likewise use a surgical mask when taking public transportation or staying in congested locations. Individuals with breathing signs, even if moderate, need to use a surgical mask and look for medical recommendations immediately, and think about whether to go to work or school. For the most recent details on seasonal influenza, members of the general public can go to the CHP’s seasonal influenza and COVID-19 & & Flu Express websites.