(EbruNews/AP) Hong Kong's government ordered all kindergartens and primary schools to close for two weeks amid a growing flu outbreak. It also asked one of its top scientists to study the deaths of three children over the past week.
Hong Kong has asked one of its top scientists to study three child deaths over the past week amid a flu outbreak. The scientist who helped study Hong Kong's outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak about four years ago, is to head a panel of scientists in studying the recent deaths.
Health secretary York Chow said that it was not clear if the three cases were linked but said he became concerned after the most recent death, that of a seven-year-old boy a day earlier, because five of the victim's classmates had also been hospitalized.
The cause of the boy's death has not been determined.
Officials said that some of his classmates were believed to be suffering from the flu and the government closed the school earlier this week.
Chow also told reporters that the government had not yet ruled out closing all schools in the territory.
No cause has been determined in last week's deaths of two girls, aged two and three, that come amid a series of flu outbreaks in Hong Kong over the past several days.
Health officials confirmed a total of six outbreaks at schools, a hospital and a nursing home
None of the cases has been linked to bird flu, which was recently detected in birds in Hong Kong.
/ HomePage / Asia Pasific
Scientists to Study Child Deaths in China
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Mar
2008
Mar
2008
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