Surveillance
And
Epidemiology
Branch
監測及流行病學處
本署檔號
Our Ref.
:
(40) in DH SEB CD/8/27/1 Pt.20
January 28, 2016
Dear Medical Superintendent,
Hong Kong is Entering Winter Influenza Season
We would like to inform you that the local activity of seasonal influenza has
continued to increase in the past few weeks, signaling that Hong Kong is entering
the winter influenza season. Among the respiratory specimens received by the
Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) of the Centre for Health
Protection (CHP), the percentage tested positive for influenza viruses rose steadily
from 1.22% in the week ending December 12, 2015 to 7.29% in that ending
January 23, 2016. The positive influenza virus detections in the past two weeks
included A(H1N1)pdm09 (66.9%), A(H3N2) (5.4%), B (23.4%) and C (4.3%).
In the past week, the influenza-like illness (ILI) consultation rates among
sentinel private doctors and General Out-patient Clinics (GOPCs) have also
increased. The rate reported by sentinel private doctors rose from 55.3 ILI cases
per 1,000 consultations in the previous week to 69.0 in the last week, while that
reported by sentinel GOPCs increased from 4.7 to 5.8.
Besides, the admission rate with principal discharge diagnosis of influenza in
public hospitals among children aged below 5 years has increased steadily from
0.14 cases per 10,000 population in the week ending December 19, 2015 to 1.07 in
the last week. Among elderly aged 65 years or above, the rate has increased from
steadily from 0.08 in the week ending January 2, 2016 to 0.12 in the last week. In
衞生防護中心乃衞生署
轄下執行疾病預防
及控制的專業架構
The Centre for Health
Protection is a
professional arm of the
Department of Health for
disease prevention and
control
addition, the number of outbreaks in institutions and schools rose from four in the
week ending January 9, 2016 to nine in the last week. In the first four days of this
week (January 24-27), nine ILI outbreaks have already been recorded.
香港九龍亞皆老街 147C 號 3 樓
3/F, 147C Argyle Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong
-2-
In order to closely monitor the occurrence of severe influenza cases who
required admission to intensive care unit or died, from January 29 to March 25,
2016 (i.e., a total of eight weeks), we would like to seek your assistance to report
patients who satisfy the following criteria to the CHP on daily basis (before 12
noon) using the forms in Appendices 1 and 2:
Any patients of age 18 years or above, who required intensive care admission or
died AND had any positive laboratory results of influenza infection.
Please fax the completed forms (Appendix 1 and 2) to the Central
Notification Office (CENO) of CHP (Fax number: 2477 2770). Nil return is
required. The CHP will review the situation at the end of this period to see if this
enhanced surveillance needs to be extended and will inform you accordingly.
In addition, doctors are reminded to continue to report any paediatric
patients (aged below 18 years) who fulfill the reporting criteria for severe
paediatric influenza-associated with complication/death to the CENO by fax
(2477 2770), by phone (2477 2772), or via the CENO On-line website
(https://cdis.chp.gov.hk/CDIS_CENO_ONLINE/ceno.html). Please refer to
Appendix 3 for the reporting criteria. Outbreaks of respiratory illnesses occurring
in institutional settings should also be reported to CENO for prompt
epidemiological investigations and implementation of control measures. Doctors
should call our Medical Control Officer (pager: 7116 3300 call 9179) during
non-office hours. The forms are available on the CENO On-line website.
Local influenza activity is expected to increase further in the coming weeks.
Since vaccination remains the best protection against influenza, we would like to
solicit your support to advise all persons aged six months or above especially the
priority groups, except those with known contraindications, to receive influenza
vaccination as soon as possible.
The latest surveillance data on influenza and severe cases are published in
the “Flu Express”,
a weekly report
available on the
CHP website
(http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/guideline1_year/29/134/441/304.html).
information
on
influenza
can
be
found
from
the
following
Further
link:
http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/14843.html. Please draw the attention of
the healthcare professionals and supporting staff in your institution/ working with
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you to the above.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for your continuous support in
combating infectious disease in Hong Kong.
Yours faithfully,
(Dr. SK Chuang)
for Controller, Centre for Health Protection
Department of Health
-4Appendix 1
Please fax your reply by 12:00 hrs
Reporting of Patients with Influenza Associated ICU Admission or Death
(29 Jan – 25 Mar, 2016)
To: Director of Health
Fax No. : 2477 2770 (Central Notification Office)
Daily Reply Slip on _________________________ (Please insert date)
from ________________________________ (Name of institution)
1. The number of new cases reported to the Centre for Health Protection in the past 24 hours is: _________
(For new cases, please complete appendix 2)
2. The total number of cases reported so far is: ________________________
3. The following patients' clinical conditions have changed (please use additional sheets if necessary):
Name
Sex
Age
Any Change of Condition with date (e.g. death or discharge)
Contact person:
Name: ___________________________
Tel: _____________________________
Position: __________________________
Note 1
For severe paediatric influenza-associated complication/death, please also report to Central Notification Office (Tel: 2477 2772) or
call Medical Control Officer at 71163300 a/c 9179 if outside office hour.
Note 2
Please return even if no case is recorded.
-5Appendix 2
Reporting of Patients with Influenza Associated Intensive Care Unit Admission and Death
(New Cases)
For patients with influenza associated with intensive care unit admission or death who are tested positive for Influenza, please
fax this form to our Central Notification Office (2477 2770)
Date:
Patient particulars
Name in English
(please affix patient's gum label if applicable)
Name in Chinese
Sex / Age
HKID / Passport No.
Patient / guardian contact phone number
Date of admission
Ward / Bed no.
Clinical information
Onset date (please specify symptoms)
Diagnosis
Past health
Obesity (please specify BMI if available)
Influenza vaccination history
Current condition of patient
(Stable/satisfactory/serious/critical/fatal)
Date of death (if applicable)
Influenza test type
Influenza test result
Further laboratory test results
Attending Physician
Name : ___________________________
Tel:
Contact Person
Name : ___________________________
Tel:
___________________________
Position: ___________________________
Hospital: ___________________________
Note
Appendix 1 should be faxed to CENO for any update on the information.
___________________________
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Appendix 3
Reporting criteria for severe paediatric influenza-associated
complication/death
An individual fulfilling all the following 3 criteria should be reported to the
Centre for Health Protection for further investigation:
1. Children <18 years old on date of admission; AND
2. with fever and respiratory symptoms; AND
3. one of the following complications:

severe pneumonia (requiring admission to intensive care unit or assisted
ventilation); OR

sepsis; OR

shock; OR

encephalopathy; OR

myocarditis; OR

death.