Hong Kong boy, 3, critically ill after flu complications, had visited US
A three-year-old Hong Kong boy with underlying health conditions is in critical condition after contracting influenza A, which led to septic shock, acute necrotising encephalopathy and an acute asthma attack. The boy had visited the US during the incubation period and had not received this season's
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has reported a severe case of influenza in a child, who remains in hospital in a critical condition.
The patient is a three-year-old boy with a long-term illness. He began to have a fever and cough on Tuesday and developed mild shortness of breath the following day, when he was taken to a private clinic. On Thursday, his condition worsened and he was brought to the accident and emergency department of Tuen Mun Hospital, where he lost consciousness. After resuscitation, he was admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit. His respiratory sample tested positive for influenza A virus, and he was clinically diagnosed with influenza A complicated by an acute asthma attack, acute necrotising encephalopathy and septic shock.
Initial investigations by the CHP indicated that the boy had travelled to the United States during the incubation period. He had not received the seasonal influenza vaccine for this year. One of his household contacts had recently developed mild upper respiratory symptoms that did not require hospitalisation and has since recovered. The CHP said it would continue to investigate the case.
The CHP noted that during the current influenza season, 26 severe cases of influenza in children have been recorded. Of these, 20 patients have been discharged after recovery, two are in a serious condition, two are in a critical condition, and two have died.
