Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow says the Government will consider providing influenza vaccine to children under 12.

Speaking after a radio talk show today he said the move will cost about $100 million, adding the Government needs to assess vaccine effectiveness among children in the age group and the possible operation mode of the programme.

Reiterating the primary school closure is a preventive measure, Dr Chow did not rule out the possibility of extending the closure. He said the Government will review the situation before making any decision.

Gene-sequencing results

Regarding the recent deaths of a seven-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl in Tuen Mun Hospital, the Centre for Health Protection said gene sequencing results confirmed they did not die from a new virus.

Tests showed the H1N1 virus found in the boy is the same as the circulating H1N1 (Brisbane) strain in Hong Kong, while the H3N2 virus found in the girl has already been confirmed to have the same genetic makeup as the circulating H3N2 (Brisbane) strain. Both have been circulating in other parts of the world in the past few months.

The centre is following up on 11 new reports of flu-like illness outbreaks affecting nine secondary schools, one childcare centre and one elderly home involving 43 people.

Flu surveillance

It has received five reports through the flu surveillance arrangement set up with private and public hospitals since yesterday. Of them, three cases had laboratory evidence of flu infection.

An eight-year-old girl has been discharged and the remaining two cases - a three-year-old boy admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital on March 11 and a seven-year-old girl admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on March 11 - are stable.

The centre's hotline 2125 1133 has so far received 161 calls. For details click here.

Chicken reports

On reports a large number of chickens on some Guangzhou farms have died, Dr Chow said the Government will ask Guangdong authorities for more information.

Noting all chickens imported into Hong Kong from the Mainland must come from registered farms, Dr Chow said those chickens are safe for consumption.