Hong Kong schools are seeing a surge in flu outbreaks, health authorities have said, with the city’s forecaster issuing a cold weather warning as temperatures drop.
Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the Centre for Health Protection Communicable Disease Branch, told a radio programme on Friday that the city had entered the flu season.
“We expect the number of influenza cases to further increase,” he said, noting that schools might experience more outbreaks.
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He also said the local influenza activity continued to increase amid a spike at schools and care homes.
He added that the centre recorded seven institutional or school outbreaks were reported last week, up from a weekly two to four cases in December.
Au reminded students with flu symptoms or fever not to go to school to reduce the risk of outbreaks.
Maria Leung Kwan-wa, chairwoman of the Hospital Authority Coordinating Committee in Family Medicine, said during the same radio programme that the average number of emergency room visits this week had slightly increased compared with last week.
“We have prepared enough medicine to get through the flu season,” she said, adding infection control measures had been strengthened.
![Temperatures are expected to hover around 11 to 12 degrees Celsius over the weekend. Photo: Edmond So Temperatures are expected to hover around 11 to 12 degrees Celsius over the weekend. Photo: Edmond So](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2025/01/10/551fde27-4754-4516-9bdf-cbe9183e4a10_7ae9a87a.jpg)
The Hong Kong Observatory, meanwhile, issued the warning at 6am and said the weather was expected to be persistently cold over the next few days.
“Prolonged exposure to wintry winds may lead to hypothermia,” the Observatory said, noting that the wind chill was particularly significant on high ground.
The Observatory added that the temperature was 13.1 degrees Celsius (55.58 Fahrenheit) at its headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui as of 9am.
The mercury also dipped to three degrees at around 6am in Tai Mo Shan.
Temperatures are predicted to hover around 11 to 12 degrees in urban areas over the weekend and drop to seven degrees or below in parts of the New Territories.
The forecaster reminded people to wear warm clothing and ensure adequate heating indoors.
“It is expected to remain cold for the next two days,” Lee Shuk-ming, the Observatory’s senior scientific officer, said.
But he added that the weather was expected to get warmer next week.
Eighty-three elderly people have sought help from the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association since midnight. Nineteen of them were admitted to hospitals.
More from South China Morning Post:
- Hong Kong health officials take aim at schools not joining flu jab drive
- Hong Kong issues first cold weather warning of 2025 as temperatures set to dip
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