The Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement on Saturday that one more critical case of influenza was reported on Friday, a 64-year-old local man inflicted with various chronic diseases.
According to Saturday’s statement, the 64-year-old man developed coughing, vomiting and shortness of breath on February 7. He went to a health centre for medical treatment, but his symptoms kept worsening, and he was taken to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre on Friday after coming down with dyspnoea (shortness of breath), where he tested positive for the influenza A virus in his respiratory specimen, the statement said.
In addition, the statement said, a chest X-ray at the public hospital centre also showed that he was suffering from pneumonia, because of which he also suffered from respiratory failure, and he was put on a ventilator, the statement said, adding that he was in a critical condition by the time the statement was released on Saturday.
The statement said that the patient has had the latest seasonal influenza jab and his family members did not have any symptoms.
According to the bureau, the influenza virus in Macau is now active, exceeding the alert level and has entered its peak. Residents are urged to pay more attention to the threat, the statement said, adding that residents who have not been vaccinated, especially pregnant women, young children, the elderly and the chronically ill, are more prone to serious complications or even death after being infected with the influenza virus and should get their flu jab as soon as possible.
Photo courtesy of CareSouth Carolina
