The Health Bureau has again appealed to the public to get vaccinated against the seasonal influenza and to practice good personal and environmental hygiene. The appeal was made by a spokesman for the Bureau in a press conference on 25 April, following the first flu-related fatality in Macao this year. The death, that of a three-year-old boy, however was not directly caused by the flu, but the virus had worsened his condition with the chronic disease he was suffering from. The boy was admitted to the Conde de Sao Januario public hospital on 5 April with a 41-degree Celsius fever and respiratory disease symptoms. He suffered from congenital development delay and a history of epilepsy: he passed away three days later of convulsion, cerebral oedema and multiple organs failure. According to the figure from hospital, there are fewer people seeking flu treatment at the emergency ward in the past two weeks. Meanwhile the new batch of 10,000 doses of vaccine has been delivered and vaccination for people in elderly centres and aged 75 or above will begin in early May. The Bureau assured the type of new vaccine could provide enough protection against common influenza. Since September last year, the Government had provided free vaccinations to infants, minors, senior citizens, residents with chronic illness, staff in nursing centres, kindergartens and schools, totalling 86,000 shots, with 16,310 for people aged 65 and above and 14,778 for children aged between five to nine. The Bureau said the Government had established a strict monitoring system to oversee the situation, and advised the public to practice strict personnel hygiene and if flu-like symptoms developed, to seek medical help immediately, then stay home and have adequate rest.
