Wang Yuanyuan
THE city has reported 25,268 flu cases between Jan. 3 and March 6, slightly higher than the same period last year, said the city s center for disease control and prevention (CDC) yesterday.
According to the CDC s monitoring, about 90 percent were A/H1N1 flu cases, but most were in slight condition with symptoms such as low fever, coughing and sore throat.
The city s schools have reported 13 flu outbreaks, including eight A/H1N1 outbreaks, since the spring semester began in February and about 60 students fell sick in the outbreaks. All the students had recovered and had been discharged from the hospitals now, the CDC said.
Zhong Nanshan, a member of Chinese Engineering Academy and a flu specialist, said yesterday the incidence of the A/H1N1 virus in Guangdong Province was still stable now, but the area might enter the peak influenza season in March according to his research.
The incidence of the A/H1N1 virus in other parts of China was much higher than in Guangdong at the moment, but he said he did not know about the reason yet.
The sharp increase in the A/H1N1 cases in Hong Kong was partly due to not receiving vaccines in time, he said. The vaccine was only effective for one year and there had been about one and a half year since most people received the vaccines in 2009. I strongly suggested people, particularly old people and children, get vaccinated quickly to prevent from being infected with the disease again, he said.
