国内英语新闻:Macao has sufficient resources to cope with seasonal flu: health bureau

MACAO, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Macao has prepared a response plan for seasonal influenza and has sufficient supply of medicines and vaccines to cope with the fluctuating incidence of flu, the special administrative region's health authorities said on Wednesday.

The Health Bureau said the medical stocks include a reserve of antiviral medicines that could serve an aggregate of 180,000 people, and a three-month supply of epidemic-prevention material.

The bureau has noted an increase in flu cases in Macao, as well as a slight increase in the waiting time for emergency services at hospital as well as on the occupancy rate of medical wards in hospitals. But there were no records of a patient either dying or being in a critical condition due to flu.

The bureau said it has purchased a total of 120,000 flu jabs available to the Macao public and 103,500 people have been vaccinated. It also appealed to the public to get vaccinated as Macao had entered a peak season for flu.