Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection reported on October 31 a severe paediatric influenza case involving a seven-year-old girl with an underlying illness. She developed a runny nose, diarrhoea and abdominal pain on October 29, and a fever and convulsion the next day, when she was taken to Tuen Mun Hospital's emergency department. Her condition worsened and she was transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit. A respiratory specimen tested positive for influenza A (H1), and she was diagnosed with influenza A infection complicated by septic shock. The CHP said she was in critical condition.

The preliminary investigation found no travel history during the incubation period and that she had not received the 2026/27 seasonal influenza vaccination. Her household contacts had recently remained asymptomatic, while three classmates had developed mild flu-like symptoms without needing hospitalisation. The CHP advised the school to apply infection control measures.

The Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said influenza activity showed signs of decline but remained above the baseline. A cumulative 28 severe paediatric influenza cases had been recorded in the season that began in late June: 20 patients recovered and were discharged, two were stable, four critical and two had died. The CHP said the 2026/27 vaccination programmes began on September 17, and outreach activities at about 1 600 schools were expected to be completed by mid-December.