HONG KONG — Pediatric wards in Hong Kong are reaching capacity as a new wave of Covid-19 infections sweeps through the city, disproportionately affecting unvaccinated children. Health authorities and infectious disease experts are sounding the alarm, urging parents to protect their children through timely vaccination.
Dr. Mike Kwan Yat-wah, head of a pediatric infectious diseases unit at a public hospital and a leading figure in the region’s child health community, described the current situation as “deeply concerning.” Speaking over the weekend, Dr. Kwan revealed that all current Covid-19 cases in his ward involve children who had not received any vaccine doses.
“The surge is real and it’s affecting kids who could have been protected,” said Dr. Kwan, who also serves as the president of the Asian Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases. “We’re not just seeing mild symptoms—some of these children are experiencing serious complications.”
Medical professionals are linking the recent spike in cases to the KP.3 subvariant, which has driven community transmission upward since March. Although this variant hasn’t led to a sharp increase in overall mortality, experts warn that complacency could put vulnerable groups, including children, at risk.
Professor Lau Yu-lung, chair of the government’s Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, explained that the city’s relatively low transmission in recent months may have left many without sufficient immunity. “We’ve had a lull since last October,” he said. “That means people—especially children—have less natural protection against newer variants.”
He emphasized the need for booster shots among high-risk populations and encouraged a return to basic precautions, such as mask-wearing in enclosed spaces and proper hand hygiene.
Dr. Kwan noted that the current wave has already resulted in multiple severe pediatric cases, including instances of croup, acute pneumonia, and multisystem inflammatory syndrome—a rare but dangerous post-infection complication that affects organs such as the heart and lungs. Five to six such cases have been reported in recent weeks.
In addition, around one in ten children who recover from Covid-19 are showing signs of long-term effects, including persistent loss of taste or smell and cognitive difficulties that can last for years. “These are not small issues,” Dr. Kwan emphasized. “They can impact a child’s development and quality of life long after the virus has cleared.”
Despite lingering vaccine hesitancy among some parents, Hong Kong’s health experts insist that the benefits far outweigh any risks. “Covid-19 vaccines are safe, and they significantly reduce the chances of serious illness in children,” said Dr. Kwan. “Now is the time for parents to act—not after their child ends up in a hospital bed.”
Health officials continue to recommend that all eligible children receive their primary Covid-19 vaccination as soon as possible, alongside updated booster shots where applicable.