SHENZHEN Children’s Hospital has received an average of 7,000 patients per day in its outpatient and emergency departments since July 4, with nearly half of them infected with the flu, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported Thursday.

According to the hospital, patients will have to wait for at most five hours before seeing a doctor in the emergency department as the flu season has arrived. The hospital has received 7,400 patients a day during peak periods over the past two weeks. Parents are advised to bring their children to hospitals close to their homes to save time.

Statistics from the Shenzhen Disease Control and Prevention Center show that 1,066 influenza cases were reported between July 3 and 9, soaring by 71.1 percent compared with the previous week.

A total of 779 influenza cases were found at Shenzhen border checkpoints last month, growing by 600 percent compared with the same period last year.

The city’s influenza index was Grade II last week, meaning that the prevalence of the flu is relatively high.

Young children, seniors, pregnant women and patients with severe diseases are at a high risk of suffering from complications of the flu. Children under the age of 2 are most likely to have severe complications triggered by the flu, such as pneumonia, laryngitis, bronchitis or encephalitis.

Residents are advised to ventilate their homes and workplaces regularly, wear masks when going to overcrowded public places and use tissue to cover their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. They should see a doctor in a timely manner if they develop flu symptoms, such as a cough, fever or sore throat. (Zhang Yang)