A five-year-old boy with underlying illnesses was in serious condition in the paediatric intensive care unit of Queen Mary Hospital after being diagnosed with influenza A complicated by severe pneumonia, Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on September 1. The boy developed fever, cough and shortness of breath from August 30 and was taken to a private hospital the same day before being transferred for respiratory distress. His respiratory specimen tested positive for influenza A. Preliminary investigation found no travel history during the incubation period, and one household contact had recently developed mild upper respiratory symptoms that did not require hospitalisation.

The CHP's Controller, Dr Edwin Tsui, said influenza activity had remained high after Hong Kong entered its influenza season in late June, and that activity was expected to stay high during the initial period of the new school year, with possible school outbreaks. The 2026/27 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes, including the school outreach programme, were scheduled to begin on September 17, with a new electronic consent form through eHealth. Around 80 schools had scheduled outreach activities in September so far, the CHP said, describing that figure as 16 times the same period last year.

Tsui advised parents to watch children with influenza closely and seek emergency care if symptoms such as shortness of breath, blue lips, confusion, persistent fever or convulsions develop.