Hong Kong’s flu epidemic yesterday set a new record, with 18 people dying from the virus in just 24 hours.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said all the new deaths were among adults, bringing the total since January to 228, compared to 133 for 2014 as a whole.
Hong Kong is still waiting on a vaccine against the H3N2 strain after the World Health Organisation predicted the incorrect regional epidemic for 2015, and therefore issued a vaccine that is only partly effective.
The correct vaccine is expected to arrive in April, but as stocks will be limited the CHP said it would prioritise high-risk groups such as the elderly and chronically ill first.
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