Special measures brought in before Christmas to deal with increased demand for A&E services will remain in place for now given the number of people turning up for treatment, the Hospital Authority said on Friday.

Staff levels, bed capacity and laboratory testing services for flu and other viruses have been stepped up during the winter period.

Chief Manager Dr Larry Lee told RTHK that medical wards are operating at above 100 percent capacity and paediatric wards have also seen an increase in patients.

"The number of patients has risen significantly. There are around 5,500 patients at accident and emergency units per day and around 1,100 patients are admitted to the general wards each day," he said.

"It seems that this pressure will continue, mainly because of the cold weather, and because of the public coming back from overseas travel and students returning to school."

Lee said that in the past two weeks, 158 people were put in intensive care units or died due to influenza A, adding that this was a similar number to last year.

He said nine children suffered serious complications from their flu infections, and urged parents to get their children vaccinated.

The observatory has warned that temperatures could drop to nine degrees Celsius in urban areas on Sunday which it says could be a record low this winter.