Respiratory health expert David Hui on Sunday cautioned that there may be a rise in the number of local flu cases in the coming days amid an anticipated drop in temperature and increased influenza activity.

Speaking on a TV programme, Hui, a professor of respiratory medicine at Chinese University, said Hong Kong is currently affected by a mutated influenza A H3N2 virus strain that is more contagious.

“This summer influenza season peaked in mid-October and is now declining, which usually takes six to eight weeks. However, with the cooler temperature and higher transmissibility of the mutated H3N2 strain, and that people are more likely to gather indoors with windows closed under low temperature, the flu transmission period may be extended,” he said.

“In Hong Kong, winter outbreaks of flu usually occur from January to March, so an overlap of summer and winter flu seasons is possible.”

Hui also reminded people to get their flu jabs, saying vaccines are effective in reducing the risk of patients developing serious illnesses.