Hong Kong’s flu season to peak in February, low vaccination rates a concern

Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)

Hong Kong’s winter flu season will peak in early February, according to a specialist in respiratory diseases. In the second week of January, there were fifteen reported deaths among those infected with influenza.

David Hui Shu-cheong, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is asking residents to get flu shots. The number of people getting vaccinations is less than the ideal level across all age groups.

He added that it would take another six to eight weeks for the influenza season to subside after the February peak.

Hong Kong recorded 37 adult cases being admitted to intensive care units with influenza from January 5 to 11, according to the Department of Health.

Twenty-five of the cases had not received the 2024-25 seasonal flu vaccine.

The academic said the ideal vaccination coverage rate across all age groups was 70 to 80 per cent, noting that Hong Kong had fallen short.

Hui said the coverage rate was 48 per cent for children aged six and below, and 45 per cent for those aged 65 and above.

Quiz time

1. When is Hong Kong’s flu season expected to peak?

2. How long will it take for the influenza season to subside after its peak?

3. How many influenza patients were admitted to intensive care in the second week of 2025?

4. What is the ideal vaccination coverage rate?

Suggested answers

1. February

2. six to eight weeks

3. 37 adults

4. 70 to 80 per cent