Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority chief warns of surge in flu cases as city enters first winter season without Covid mask mandate
- ‘People, children in particular, will be more vulnerable as they have not been exposed to any major flu virus in the past three years,’ authority chief Tony Ko says
- Department of Health investigating two cases of severe influenza A infection, including one involving 16-year-old found unconscious after developing runny nose
Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority chief has warned of an impending surge in flu cases, noting it will be the city’s first winter without the mandatory mask-wearing policy enacted during the Covid-19 pandemic and residents’ immunity has weakened.
Authority chief executive Tony Ko Pat-sing made the prediction on Sunday after the Department of Health said it was investigating two cases of severe influenza A infection, including one 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, referring to the city dropping its face covering mandate on 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 physical contact between people had increased, adding the city saw a similar surge in cases in the summer after social-distancing curbs were lifted.
