Public urged to get jabs amid 'wave' of flu cases

Public health officials are strongly encouraging citizens to receive flu vaccinations amid a recent surge in cases, according to Director of Health Ronald Lam. Influenza infections have been on the rise since June, with the dominant strain, H1, accounting for about 80 percent of cases and the H3 strain making up nearly 20 percent.

Influenza B virus infections make up the remaining cases. Lam reported that last week's flu infection rate at public hospitals was 0.83 per 10,000 patients, compared to a rate of 0.27 a year ago. He emphasized that half of the 19 severe pediatric influenza cases this summer affected children aged five or younger, and three of those cases were in unvaccinated children.

Lam urged parents to vaccinate their children promptly, as the risk of complications or severe conditions is more than five times higher for unvaccinated children. The Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach program is set to launch and has already seen overwhelming support from schools, with more than 99 percent of them having signed up.

By the end of September, the program aims to vaccinate 80 schools and hopes to reach the remaining schools by mid-December. The Department of Health has identified 14 schools that have not registered for the program and is urging parents to seek private-sector doctors enrolled in the government's vaccination subsidy scheme.