DH reminds public to take precautions against heat-related illnesses during very hot weather
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 9) reminded members of the public to take appropriate precautions against heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke during very hot weather.
In a high-temperature environment, excessive sweating and difficulty in heat dissipation can cause stress to the body. Members of the public should take the following precautions:
Hydrate in a timely manner to prevent dehydration;
Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting and breathable clothing to minimise heat absorption and facilitate perspiration and heat dissipation;
Keep the room well ventilated, e.g. by opening windows;
Avoid strenuous exercise and prolonged activities such as hiking or trekking;
Arrange outdoor activities in the morning or the late afternoon, if possible, and bring enough water; and
Avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcoholic beverages, which may speed up water loss through the urinary system.
In addition, infants and children, the elderly, pregnant women, individuals with chronic illnesses such as heart disease or high blood pressure, outdoor/manual workers, and overweight people are more susceptible to heat stroke. These groups should pay special attention to the following:
Avoid taking infants and young children outside when the temperature is high. If they must go outside, adults should ensure they stay in places with moderate temperatures and good ventilation or air-conditioning. Infants and young children should never be left unattended in a confined space such as a vehicle;
The elderly, pregnant women, individuals with chronic illnesses or overweight people should pay close attention to their health. They should seek help as soon as possible if they experience any abnormalities in health indicators such as blood pressure, heart rate, etc or if there are fluctuations in their health conditions. Avoid going out when the temperature is high. Make sure there is good ventilation, or turn on a fan or air-conditioner to keep an appropriate temperature indoors. High temperatures can also worsen the condition of people with chronic illnesses (such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases). Therefore, they should have an ample supply of their usual medication and keep in contact with family members, neighbours and the community. People should seek immediate help if they feel unwell.
Outdoor/manual workers are advised to reschedule work to cooler hours as far as feasible. If working in a hot environment is unavoidable, provide shade where practicable and use ventilation and heat dissipation equipment. Once work has begun, gradually adjust the pace of work and take breaks in the shade to regain strength.
"Heat stroke is one of the most common health risks in hot weather. Over the past five years, there have been over 200 hospital admissions due to heat stroke each year in Hong Kong, with two to five fatal cases occurring mainly during the summer months from May to September. Vulnerable groups are more susceptible to heat stroke. Symptoms include dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion. In severe cases, patients may suffer from convulsions or become unconscious, which can be life-threatening if they are not cooled down and resuscitated in a timely manner," a spokesman for the CHP said.
Members of the public are also advised to pay attention to the latest weather, as well as the real-time and forecasted ultraviolet (UV) index released by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). When the UV index is high (6 or above):
Minimise direct sunlight exposure to the skin and the eyes;
Apply broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 or higher when participating in outdoor activities. Reapply sunscreen every two hours if staying outdoors for long periods of time, or after swimming, sweating or toweling off;
While using DEET-containing insect repellents for personal protection against mosquito-borne diseases, apply sunscreen before insect repellent;
Seek shade;
Wear UV-blocking sunglasses;
Wear loose-fitting clothing with long-sleeves; and
Wear a wide-brimmed hat or use an umbrella.
If symptoms develop, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion, rest and seek help immediately, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.
The public may obtain more information from the DH's Health Education Infoline (2833 0111), heat strokepage andUV radiation page; the HKO's Dial-a-Weather (1878 200),latestweather report and forecast, UV Indexand weather information for hiking and mountaineering; and press releases of the Labour Departmenton precautions against heat stroke for outdoor workers and their employers when the Heat Stress at Work Warning is in force.
Source: AI-found images
CHP urges public to promptly receive seasonal influenza vaccination as another severe paediatric influenza infection case reported
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 18) recorded a severe paediatric influenza infection case. The CHP again reminded parents to arrange for their children to receive a free seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) promptly. The SIV remains one of the most effective methods of preventing influenza and its complications, and can reduce the risk of serious complications or death from infection.
The case involves a 14-year-old boy with underlying illness. He developed a fever, shortness of breath and productive cough since January 16. He sought medical attention at the Accident and Emergency Department of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on January 17 and was transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit for further management on the same day. He is currently in critical condition. His respiratory specimen tested positive for influenza A virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis is influenza A infection complicated with severe pneumonia and septic shock.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the boy received the 2025/26 SIV only three days before onset of illness. As it generally takes two weeks for the body to develop sufficient protection after vaccination, the boy was not protected by the vaccine. Therefore, it is not counted as being vaccinated. The boy had no travel history during the incubation period. Two of his household contacts developed mild respiratory symptoms earlier. The nasal swab sample of one of the household contacts tested positive for influenza A virus via rapid antigen test. The symptoms were mild and hospitalisation was not required.
The summer influenza season just ended had recorded 25 severe paediatric influenza cases, including three fatal cases. The affected children were aged between 6 months to 17 years old. Among them, 20 cases (80 per cent) had not received an SIV (including one case who received the 2025/26 SIV only four days before onset of illness).
"The summer influenza season was ended. However, influenza activity may rise again as the weather remains cold in the first quarter of this year and it cannot be ruled out that the circulating virus strains may change as the winter influenza season approaches. Therefore, I once again urge all individuals aged 6 months or older, except those with known contraindications, to act promptly if they have not yet received an SIV. This includes those who contracted influenza during the summer influenza season in order to guard against other circulating virus strains that may emerge during the upcoming winter influenza season. Furthermore, although there are some antigenic differences between the currently circulating influenza A (H3) virus strain and the virus strain contained in the vaccine, scientific research indicates that this season's influenza vaccines can still offer protection against the variant strain of subclade K, as well as the influenza A (H1) and influenza B strains included in the vaccine," the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.
"Although the influenza activity has declined to below the baseline level at the moment, outbreaks caused by influenza viruses still occurred in schools and residential care homes. For children who did not join the SIV School Outreach Programme, parents should promptly bring their children to private doctors enrolled in the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme to receive an SIV. In addition, the SIV coverage rate for children aged 6 months to under 2 years is only about 23 per cent. Although this represents an approximate 4 percentage point increase compared to the same period last year, it is still much lower than that of other age groups. Through the Primary Healthcare Commission, the CHP has urged family doctors to assist in encouraging parents to allow their children to receive an SIV," Dr Tsui added.
He also reminded members of the public that, especially for children, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses, they should seek medical advice promptly for early treatment if they present with fever and respiratory symptoms. As children with influenza can deteriorate rapidly, parents must pay close attention to their children's condition. They should go to an Accident and Emergency Department immediately if the child's condition deteriorates, for example, if they develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, blue lips, chest pain, confusion, a persistent fever or convulsions.
Separately, high-risk individuals should wear surgical masks when staying in crowded places. People with respiratory symptoms, even if mild, should wear a surgical mask and seek medical advice promptly. They should also consider whether to attend work or school.
In addition to issuing timely reminders to healthcare professionals and schools based on the latest seasonal influenza development, the CHP also uploads the latest seasonal influenza information on its website weekly. Members of the public can visit the CHP's seasonal influenza and COVID-19 & Flu Express webpages.
Source: AI-created image
