Health Bureau (SSM) Deputy Director Kuok Cheong U said Sunday that a two-year-old girl who had recently been diagnosed with influenza A associated with slight encephalitis is in a stable condition.
Kuok made the remarks while speaking to reporters in Iao Hon Market Park on the sidelines of the “Jointly Creating a New Environment for the Community 2019” carnival, which was organised by the Macau General Union of Neighbourhood Associations (commonly known as Kai Fong) in collaboration with six government entities and two business associations.
The deputy health chief’s remarks came after his bureau announced in a statement on Saturday that the two-year-old girl was in “normal condition” due to Type A influenza associated with slight encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).
According to Saturday’s statement, the girl began to have a fever and cough on Thursday and was taken by her family to the private Kiang Wu Hospital for outpatient treatment on Friday morning where she tested positive for influenza A, after which she was prescribed Tamiflu and allowed to return home.
On Friday night, the girl was taken to the private hospital again as her condition had not improved and she went into convulsions and suffered a temporary loss of consciousness. She was hospitalised after receiving treatment in the emergency department, the statement said.
According to the statement, after admission into hospital, she continued to suffer from a high fever, after which she was diagnosed with influenza A associated with slight encephalitis.
Saturday’s statement said that after treatment the girl was conscious and in a “normal condition”.
According to the statement, the girl has not had her 2018-2019 seasonal flu vaccination. Her family members did not have similar symptoms.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Kuok said that the condition of the two-year-old girl had improved and that she was currently having slight encephalitis symptoms. Kuok said that the girl was now in a “stable condition”.
The Health Bureau announced during a press conference last Monday that a four-year-old was in a critical condition due to Type A influenza associated with encephalitis. The bureau told reporters on Thursday that the condition of the boy was improving.
According to Saturday’s statement, Macau has recorded 21 cases of serious influenza associated with pneumonia or other serious complications since September last year. Among the 21 patients, one has died and seven were still in hospital on Saturday.
Saturday’s statement said that except for the four-year-old boy who was still in a serious condition, the other patients still in hospital were in a stable condition.
The bureau said in a statement last Tuesday that an 86-year-old local man died of Type A influenza associated with pneumonia on the previous day – the first flu death confirmed in Macau this year.
