The Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement on Sunday that influenza was the most commonly reported illness on its list of notifiable diseases in May.
According to the list that requires mandatory reporting of 45 statutorily notifiable diseases, a total of 689 such cases were recorded in May, including 401 cases of influenza, 98 cases of chickenpox and 60 cases of scarlet fever.
The statement said that in May, the 401 reported influenza cases marked an 84.3 percent decrease from 2,548 cases in May last year, but an increase of 180 percent compared to the 142 reported cases in April. The most prevalent strains were influenza A (H1N1 & H3N2) and influenza B, according to the statement.
About chickenpox, the statement said that the bureau recorded 98 cases in May, a year-on-year increase of 204 percent from the 48 cases reported in the same month of 2024, and a month-on-month increase of 210 percent compared to the 46 cases in April. Most of the chickenpox patients were aged five to 10, the statement said.
Regarding enterovirus infections, the health authority reported 40 cases in May, a 95.9 percent decrease from May 2024 and a 66.7 percent increase compared to the 24 cases in April. The statement noted that enterovirus infections can be caused by coxsackievirus, echovirus, or enterovirus EV71.
The Health Bureau urged residents to strengthen their personal protection measures to reduce the risk of contracting infectious diseases.
