Hong Kong schools to close as a result of influenza outbreak

Hong Kong has been experiencing a ‘winter surge’ of influenza cases and the situation has gotten so bad that the Department of Health and the Education Bureau have just announced all kindergartens, primary schools and special needs schools are to close from tomorrow until the end of the Chinese New Year holiday on February 19. Chief Executive Carrie Lam said the move aims to ‘cut off the chain of infection’.

There have already been more than 100 deaths from serious flu complications this year. Earlier in the week the government’s Centre for Health Protection warned that influenza was ‘expected to remain at an elevated level in the coming few weeks’, so Time Out readers should take extra care in the mean time.

Anyone looking to get inoculated or seeking more information about Hong Kong’s seasonal influenza vaccine should visit the Centre for Health Protection’s website here.