Australian Flu infections continue to climb
Pastor Dale Morgan
Australian Flu infections continue to climb*
By Tamara McLean
August 20, 2007 06:13pm
Article from: AAP
AUSTRALIA'S flu epidemic is showing no sign of abating, according to a
fresh influenza report which confirms that infection rates are climbing.
Statistics show there were 837 official notifications of influenza
nationally in the week to August 11 – about 150 more than reported the
previous week.
This is more than triple the cases reported in the worst week of last
year, and almost double the rate in the biggest flu week of the severe
2003 influenza season.
The figures, provided by the federal Department of Health and Ageing
today, are believed to be just a fraction of actual flu infections, but
they give the best seasonal comparison.
They offer official confirmation that the nation is in the grip of its
worst influenza season in many years, with nine lives lost so far.
Six children from four states have died from one of two virulent strains
of influenza A virus, H3N2 or H1N1.
Three adults – a 37-year-old Queensland man, a 48-year-old woman from
South Australia and a 33-year-old Queensland mother-of-two – have also
died after suffering flu-like symptoms.
"These figures are growing proof that we're having a heavier season this
year than we have in previous years," said Professor Anne Kelso,
director of the Melbourne-based World Health Organisation Influenza Centre.
"It may be that more people are reporting than usual, because of all the
publicity, but it does certainly seem that it is more prevalent."
There have been 4422 notifications this year – three times the average
in the past five years.
Queensland has had the highest number of notifications, with 2197,
followed by New South Wales on 713, Western Australia with 603 and
Victoria with 371, according to the report.
The highest rates were among 0-4 year-olds, followed by boys aged 5-9
and females aged 20-24.
Of lab-confirmed cases, 88 per cent were found to be influenza A, while
six per cent were influenza B and the rest were unidentified.
This year's flu is characterised by fever, headache, body aches, extreme
tiredness and cold sweats.
Flu experts have urged those who catch the bug to stay at home, limit
contact with others and seek a prescription with anti-retroviral drugs
like Tamiflu in the first 12 hours of developing symptoms.