Geelong flu cases surging as Covid pressure continues

Greater Geelong has recorded more flu cases so far this year than over the same period in 2019 – its worst year on record.

Geelong is on track to potentially rack up its worst flu season on record while the region also records hundreds of new Covid cases daily.

Health department data showed Greater Geelong recorded 525 confirmed influenza cases so far this year, more than the 497 in the same period in 2019 – which became its worst year on record.

The municipality recorded 2252 cases that year, the figures showed.

And Greater Geelong has so far this year already outstripped annual confirmed influenza case totals for recent years including 2021 (five cases), 2020 (152) and 2018 (427).

Barwon South West public health unit director Eugene Athan said Barwon Health was seeing significant rising numbers of respiratory related presentations for influenza and Covid at the emergency department.

“Across the state we are seeing high number of flu in young people with around 52 per cent of flu cases identified in the past two weeks occurring in people aged 19 and under,” Prof Athan said.

“It is a reminder for parents considering getting their children vaccinated against the flu, to do so as soon as possible.

“In the community, there is a continued importance to practise hand hygiene and mask-wearing when social distancing is not possible, particularly as influenza spreads.

“Whilst there are no official co-infections of flu and Covid identified in the region, there may be people in the community that are not aware that they have both viruses simultaneously.”

On Friday there were 22 Covid patients in Geelong hospital, including both active and cleared cases, with one of these patients in ICU.

Geelong on track for horror flu season.

Leonie Lloyd, executive general manager at Epworth Geelong, said the hospital was currently treating a small number of Covid-19 patients, with none in ICU.

“We are also treating a patient who has influenza A,” Ms Lloyd said.

“We know that influenza cases will increase as winter hits.

“The best thing people can do to protect themselves and our community is to ensure their COVID-19 vaccination is up to date and roll up their sleeve and have a flu vaccination as soon as possible.”

St John of God Geelong Hospital chief executive Stephen Roberts said the hospital was caring for one patient who had tested positive for Covid-19.

“We are experiencing an increased number of presentations to our emergency department with flu-related symptoms,” he said.

On Friday, 595 new Covid cases were reported for Greater Geelong.

The Surf Coast recorded 58 new cases,the Borough of Queenscliffe three,Golden Plains 59 and Colac-Otway 34.

Victoria recorded 12,556 new cases and 23 deaths.

New Geelong service for long Covid sufferers revealed

A long Covid clinic is being established in Geelong to help patients still suffering lingering symptoms.

Banksia Medical Centre owner and GP Bernard Shiu is leading the initiativeand said it would be the first community-based long Covid clinic in Victoria.

The service will operate from his Newcomb clinic’s site initially, and was likely to expand to a larger site dependent on demand, Dr Shiu said.

“We decided we can’t wait anymore, every week we have patients coming in 12 weeks after diagnosis,” he said.

“Lingering symptoms need to be managed and assessed.”

Dr Jossy Antony, psychiatrist, left, Dr Bernard Shiu GP, Dr James Lindstrom, respiratory and sleep physician, Dr Calvin Phang, cardiologist, and Nicole Smith accredited exercise physiologist. Picture: Alison Wynd

Long Covid occurs when people still have symptoms three months after being infected.

It’s estimated that between about 10 and 30 per cent of people who catch Covid may develop long-term symptoms, but research is still underway.

This means thousands of residents in the region could suffer ongoing issues.

Long Covid symptoms can include difficulty breathing, coughing and fatigue, and Dr Shiu said it ranged in severity.

The Geelong long Covid clinic’s team will include Dr Shiu, other GPs from Banksia Medical Centre, a cardiologist, respiratory physician, exercise physiologist and psychiatrist.

Dr Shiu said the team was an expert advice group and would work with patients and their usual GP and other health workers for their treatment plan, or connect patients with the right services.

Dr Shiu is deputy chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Victoria and founding member of the Victoria post-acute Covid study group.

Civid Testing sites at Norlane.

It is hoped the long Covid clinic will become operational in June, Dr Shiu said.

The clinic has not received extra government funding and Dr Shiu said he and other doctors would be advocating for government funding for long Covid.

Dr Shiu said the team wanted to see these patients early on so they could intervene to try and ease their suffering.

The team will look to implement more advanced treatments as international and local experts learn more about long Covid.

Patients can register their interest at geelonglongcovidclinic.com.au.

Why Geelong patients are waiting months for specialists

Barwon Health concedes some patients are waiting unacceptably long for specialist appointments, with people facing up to almost quadruple the recommended time to see a gastroenterologist.

The average wait before being seen for patients referred to the gastroenterology clinic where their referral is categorised as urgent is about 115 days for this financial year.

Those patients should be seen within 30 days.

Barwon Health surgical and critical care clinical director Simon Williams said wait times had unfortunately increased over the past two years as a result of the pandemic.

“We recognise that there is an unacceptably long wait for some patients from the time of a GP referral to a first appointment with one of our doctors at many of our specialty clinics,” Mr Williams said.

“There are a number of new initiatives underway, including employing more staff and increasing the number of specialist clinics and the number of appointments available, especially in areas of high demand, including gastroenterology.

“We are also investing in new equipment, procedure rooms and a clinic space to establish new dedicated clinics including for ophthalmology and ear, nose and throat clinics, which will enable us to treat our consumers in a more timely period.

“This has been funded through the State Government’s recent $5m announcement for a new specialist procedural hub.”

Australian Patients Association chief executive Stephen Mason said there was a shortage of specialists, particularly in regional areas.

“The shortage is resulting in delays,” he said.

“If the patient is suffering from pain, unable to work or lacking mobility this can have severe consequences for the patient and their loved ones.”

Royal Australasian College of Physicians president John Wilson said unfortunately, there were long wait times in regional areas for some types of specialist care.

“This health inequity in rural and regional centres is unacceptable,” he said.

“We know we need more training places to support healthcare in regional areas – this is something the RACP has signalled as urgent and immediate.

“We need more specialist training places to build capacity in regional areas to make sure people living in these communities can get the specialist care they need.”

Prof Wilson said RACP was calling on the government to increase regional Specialist Training Positions.

“In the meantime, better access to video conferencing technologies and permanent specialist telehealth items will give people in regional and rural areas, and beyond, greater choice and flexibility in accessing specialists,” he said.

Originally published as Geelong flu cases surging as Covid pressure continues