The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) today said its Public Health Laboratory Services Branch routinely conducts Polymerase Chain Reaction tests for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) on respiratory specimens. Additionally, the centre monitors RSV-associated hospitalisations in public hospitals, and tracks upper respiratory infection outbreaks in schools as well as residential care institutions. The number of positive detections and the percentage are announced weekly on its website. The CHP made the remarks in response to a media enquiry concerning RSV surveillance. It noted that as revealed by laboratory surveillance data, the percentages of specimens testing positive for RSV over the past 12 weeks ranged between 2.5% and 3.5%, higher than that of the first-half year when less than 1% was recorded, but far lower than 8% to 10% when a peak was recorded in the past. Furthermore, the CHP’s analysis indicated that between January 2023 and June 2025, the average annualised mortality rates associated with RSV among elderly people aged 75 or above was 10.3 per 100,000 population, which is lower than that of the rate of 80.2 per 100,000 population for seasonal influenza. The hospitalisation rate associated with RSV among elderly people was also lower than that for seasonal influenza. During the meeting in January this year, the CHP’s Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) discussed the use of RSV vaccines for elderly people, and the experts were of the view that the two RSV vaccines currently registered in Hong Kong are safe and effective. Regarding vaccination for the elderly, as specific recommendations from the World Health Organization and local data from the cost-benefit perspective are pending, universal RSV vaccination for elderly people is not recommended at the moment. The Health Bureau has commissioned the University of Hong Kong to conduct an analysis on the cost-benefit of the RSV vaccine. Upon completion of the cost-benefit analysis, the SCVPD will discuss again the issue on RSV vaccination, based on the relevant analysis results and latest scientific evidence.
Saturday 18 October 2025
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