Flu claims at least 111 lives in Hong Kong

At least 111 people have died in Hong Kong from flu in the past one month, according to Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK).

One of the latest cases involves a 60-year-old customs officer who suffered multiple organ failure after being infected with the H3N2 flu virus. He died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on Tuesday morning.

Dr. Leung Chi-chiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Medical Association's Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases, warned that the flu season will last at least for a few more weeks.

He said the flu has been very severe this season worldwide and figures from the United States showed that the number of hospital admissions of the elderly had been on record levels there.

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that much of the country will enter active flu season in the next two to three weeks.

Several provinces in southern and eastern China have reported human infections of H7N9 avian flu.

In southern China's Guangdong province, the number of H7N9 cases has reached 12 since the beginning of 2015. In southeastern China's Fujian province, 15 such cases were reported this year, with two deaths. Zhejiang and Shanghai have also seen H7N9 cases.