The head of respiratory medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong on Sunday warned that the SAR’s winter flu season has not peaked, and that occupancy rates at hospitals continue to rise.

David Hui said those who have been hospitalised for the flu included children aged up to 5 and people who are 65 or older.

He noted that there were 37 severe cases among adults who needed intensive care in the second week of the month. Fifteen of these patients died. The professor pointed out that 25 of these people had not received the influenza vaccine, and recommended that residents get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Speaking on Commercial Radio, Hui said that a general vaccination rate of 70 percent to 80 percent is ideal.

But as of last month, he said the rate for infants and young children was 48 percent, and those aged 50 to 64 was only 20 percent, while the rate was 45 percent for those aged 65 or above.

Hui also said that influenza cases in most northern hemisphere regions are on the rise, and that most of them involve H1N1 influenza A.

He added that the current flu season is expected to peak early next month, and decline around mid-March.