The percentage of patients with an influenza-like illness caused by COVID-19 has increased from 7 percent in early June to 24 percent of flu cases in the past week, showing an increasing trend in the activity of COVID-19 viruses, Leong Iek Hou, who heads the Health Bureau’s (SSM) Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division said yesterday.
Speaking on the sidelines of yesterday morning’s current affairs phone-in programme, Ou Mun Gwong Cheuhng, hosted by the Chinese-language radio channel of public broadcaster TDM, Leong urged those who have still not been vaccinated against COVID-19 to get jabbed as soon as possible and seek medical attention if they develop symptoms.
As reported by TDM, Leong pointed out that influenza viruses in the community have remained stable over the past week, in which about 8 percent of patients with fever and respiratory flu-like illnesses were caused by influenza viruses, but the proportion of influenza-like patients caused by COVID-19 increased to 24 percent over the past week.
“There is an increasing trend in the activity of the COVID-19 virus, as about seven out of 100 influenza-like patients were infected with COVID-19 at the beginning of June, but as of last week, 24 cases had been caused by the virus,” Leong was quoted by TDM as saying, adding that the bureau has also noticed an upward trend in the number of COVID-19 patients seeking treatment in the public hospital’s emergency department.
The Health Bureau’s (SSM) Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division Chief Leong Iek Hou speaks to public broadcaster TDM yesterday on the sidelines of its current affairs phone-in radio programme, Ou Mun Gwong Cheuhng. – Photo courtesy of TDM
