Influenza increases by 15 per cent among Australians in two weeks
If you’ve got the flu, you’re not alone. New data reveals rates of the highly contagious virus are skyrocketing across Australia.
Illness
Don't miss out on the headlines from Illness. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Australians have been warned to brace themselves for winter as new data reveals influenza cases have increased by 15 per cent in the past two weeks.
University of Queensland infectious diseases physician and clinical microbiologist Paul Griffin, told NCA NewsWire that what Australia was experiencing with the flu was “truly unique”, as cases continued to rise in June.
“It’s not what we’d normally see, in terms of the usual seasonality,” he said. “We’ve obviously seen a really sharp increase in cases and given the population susceptibility, the impact of those cases has also been greater.
“Normally, we would see the onset of the flu season a little bit lighter and not as properly increased as what we‘ve seen this year with an increase in hospitalisation and severe consequences.”
According to the latest federal Department of Health data, there have been more than 55,000 flu cases in the last reporting fortnight, bringing the total to almost 150,000 cases this year.
Despite most states also offering free shots in June, vaccination is lower than the 13.2 million doses in 2019 and the record 18 million administered in 2020.
So far this year, 54 people have died from flu-associated deaths.
Over the past fortnight, 989 people have been admitted to hospital for the flu, with 5 per cent of these hospitalisations being admitted directly to the ICU.
Experts warn that these numbers are likely underestimates given many GPs are still reluctant to see patients with respiratory symptoms, which raises questions about testing rates for flu this year.
“I think if there are any barriers that GPs are not able to see people with symptoms, that is contributing to making some of these challenges worse. I think we do need to look to address that,” Professor Griffin said.
“We know we can protect our staff with vaccination, we know that even though the mask mandates are relaxed, we can use masks to protect our staff and do things to address other risk factors for transmission such as ventilation.”
Parents have been warned to vaccinate their children, with the latest data from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance and the Australian Immunisation Register revealing rates are lowest among children aged 15 and under.
“One of the biggest differences between Covid and the flu is that children don’t contribute all that much to the spread of Covid and very fortunately have a low rate of severe disease, but that is very different with influenza.” Professor Griffin said.
“Now we’re seeing quite high case numbers in those groups, they are responsible for a lot of transmission and they can get very serious sickness from the flu.
“It is disappointing that our vaccination rates in those groups remains low when we have a flu vaccine available for basically everybody from six months of age.”
Originally published as Influenza increases by 15 per cent among Australians in two weeks
‘Worst day of my life is coming’: Dad told youngest daughter is dying
Little Hailey Valle has spent the last few years bravely fighting despite her parents facing “red tape” getting her into a clinical trial to give her better odds.
‘Warning as Bali belly’ spreads to Aussie state
Authorities have confirmed the link between rising rates of a parasitic stomach bug and overseas travel, with one tourist hotspot named as a common culprit.