Qld school records chickenpox and flu cases amid fears of an imminent coronavirus outbreak

A Brisbane high school has recorded two cases of a highly contagious viral infection and a case of the flu as concerns of an imminent coronavirus outbreak continue to rise.

BRISBANE State High School has recorded two cases of contagious chickenpox in students.

In an email to parents and guardians, the school said another student had tested positive to influenza A.

The school said the students had all been “kept home for some time”.

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Brisbane State High School

Complications of chickenpox can include pneumonia and encephalitis - inflammation of the brain. It is preventable by vaccine.

“It your child is unwell, please seek the appropriate medical advice and keep them home until they are well enough to return to school,” the email said.

The student cases come amid concerns about coronavirus outbreaks in Queensland schools, considered a matter of when, not if.

Queensland has already recorded 4193 cases of the flu this year, much higher than the five-year average, but less than at the same time in 2019, a record year in terms of diagnosed influenza cases.

University of Queensland virologist Ian Mackay said getting the flu shot was more important than usual this year with the imminent threat of a coronavirus epidemic taking hold in Queensland.

Health experts saying there’s more reason to get a flu shot than ever this year with the threat of a coronavirus outbreak. Picture: iStock

“The flu shot is good at preventing serious disease and death due to influenza,” Associate Professor Mackay said.

He said having the flu vaccination would help people stay out of hospital, which may already be full of people with the novel coronavirus.

“We … don’t want to add more pressure to what could be a very stretched healthcare system,” Associate Professor Mackay said.

“My family and I will be getting vaccinated again this year.”