The Health Bureau (SSM) said in a statement last night that according to its latest monitoring data, influenza viruses in Macau have been becoming increasingly active since last month, urging residents to strengthen their vigilance against influenza.
Since the middle of last month, the statement said, the number of patients seeking hospital treatment for influenza-like illnesses has been rising, with a more noticeable increase in adults’ cases. The weekly number of patients seeking treatment for influenza-like illnesses at hospital emergency departments for adults increased to 274 last week (October 5 to 11) from 206 during the same period last month, an increase of over 30 percent, while the weekly number of patients seeking treatment for influenza-like illnesses at paediatric emergency departments increased from 352 to 454 during the period, an increase of nearly 30 percent.
According to the bureau’s laboratory test results, the statement said, the positive detection rate for influenza viruses has recently risen, increasing from 8.6 percent during the same period last month to 12.2 percent last week, already approaching the alert threshold level of 13.1 percent. This indicates that community influenza viruses are becoming increasingly active, predominantly influenza A (H3 subtype) viruses (accounting for 61.1 percent) and influenza B viruses (accounting for 16.7 percent).
Image courtesy of WHO – Western Pacific Region
