Qld flu cases soar with experts worried about people needing admission to hospital

Queensland flu cases have already soared to more than half last year’s figures, with experts worried the predominant strain is usually associated with more people needing admission to hospital.

QUEENSLAND flu cases have soared to more than half last year’s figures, with experts predicting thousands of deaths nationwide in a horror season.

The state is running at more than three times the five-year average for flu cases at this time of year and there are concerns the predominant strain often leads to increased hospital admissions.

Griffith University immunisation expert Paul Van Buynder said weekly numbers would be “much, much higher” once the flu season peaks in August and September.

Health officials considering introducing ‘double jab’ of flu vaccine to combat horror season

Queenslanders to test universal flu vaccine as flu cases soar

Pharmacies run out of flu jab vaccine amid unprecedented demand

“I’m worried that the predominant strain at the moment is influenza A and that usually means a worse season and more people in hospital,” Professor Van Buynder said.

Federal figures show the state has already had 8691 confirmed cases this year, compared with 15,692 for the whole of 2018 – Queensland’s lowest annual flu numbers since 2013, when 5507 cases were recorded.

Dr Van Buynder said people should get vaccinated annually to protect themselves. Picture: Brendan Radke

Already this year, 689 people have been admitted to Queensland public hospitals with the flu – 59 requiring intensive care treatment.

The higher than usual numbers have contributed to the pressure on public hospital emergency departments in recent months.

National Centre for Immunisation Research Professorial Fellow, Robert Booy, said experts were estimating around 4000 deaths from the flu this year nationwide.

However he stressed the figure was hard to compare to previous years because of big improvements in how authorities determine the flu’s role.

While 2017 was a severe flu season – more than 1100 deaths in Australia were recorded from 250,000 infections – in 2018 there were 73 deaths from 52,000 infections.

Professor Booy said the 2018 flu season never technically finished, a phenomenon he had “never seen” before.

Dr Van Buynder said people should get vaccinated annually to protect themselves.

He urged parents to take advantage of the free flu jabs for children aged between six months and under five years.

“We should vaccinate as many children as possible to decrease the amount of flu in the community,” the Gold Coast-based doctor said. “It makes a difference if you do that.”

Young children are seen as “super spreaders” of the virus.

Griffith University immunisation expert Dr Paul Van Buynder.

The Queensland Government announced free vaccinations for young children last year, contributing to the reduced amount of people contracting the virus, compared to 2017, when a record 55,590 tested positive to the flu in the state.

Free flu vaccinations are also available for pregnant women, Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders aged six months and older, people with medical conditions that increase the risk of influenza complications and people aged 65 and older.

This year’s free flu vaccinations are being rolled out through general practitioners and pharmacies.

The Queensland Government recently changed regulations to allow people aged as young as 16 to access flu vaccinations through pharmacies.