Australia Influenza 2019: Early flu outbreaks, 587 reported fatalities

[Ronan Kelly]

Flu deaths 2019 Australia: Three influenza strains causing deadly flu season
Sarah Wiedersehn
7NEWS
Monday, 27 May 2019 11:42 pm


The circulation of three different strains of influenza, one which hits children hard, is likely to blame for the unprecedented and deadly start to the flu season, says a leading infectious disease expert.

Health authorities have urged parents and carers to vaccinate their kids, as the death toll from the flu outbreak rises.

Watch the video above.

The latest figures show there have been nearly 59,000 laboratory confirmed notifications of influenza in Australia for 2019, while close to 100 deaths have been recorded across NSW, South Australia and Victoria.

Experts warn the escalating death toll has occurred months before the official flu season is due to start next week.
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NSW
In NSW, there has been 14,942 confirmed cases of influenza, according to figures from the Immunisation Coalition.

The latest data from NSW Health shows 37 people have died since January from flu-related illnesses and the number of confirmed cases are also up.
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South Australia
The flu season continues to worsen in South Australia, with more than 15,500 cases and 35 deaths now reported to health authorities.

Eight people have died in just the past week alone, bringing the toll to 35.
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Victoria
A three-year-old child is the youngest of 26 people whose deaths have been attributed to Victoria's early-starting flu season this year.
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Queensland
There have been nearly 11,800 cases of influenza confirmed in Queensland, and since January more than 840 people admitted to hospital because of the flu.

Last week, Queensland health authorities warned the state was on track to surpass the 43 deaths recorded in 2018 and urged people to get vaccinated.
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https://7news.com.au/news/health/flu...eason-c-135163

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Killer flu season starts weeks early in WA
Australian Associated Press
May 31, 2019 5:31am
Flu season has come eight weeks earlier than usual in Western Australia but it remains to be seen whether it will become the worst.

The WA Health Department reported earlier this week that 10 people had died from flu-related illness this year, compared to four at the same time last year.
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https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/brea...a/news-story/ba3ccb1438fcd1034680d3a891ae9264

43 die of flu in NSW as temperatures plummet
Kate Aubusson
By Kate Aubusson
May 31, 2019 ? 2.04pm

Forty-three people have died of flu in NSW so far this year, eclipsing the total death toll for 2018, health authorities report.

The authorities have confirmed 1843 flu cases across the state in the week ending May 26 alone.
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https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw...-as-temperatures-plummet-20190531-p51t8b.html

Vaccine shortage as 139 die from flu
by AAP
30th May 2019 10:09 AM

An extra 400,000 doses of the flu shot are on their way to Australia to help meet a growing and unprecedented demand for the vaccine.
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In South Australia, 35 people have died from the flu, and 15,000 cases have been diagnosed this year, according to SA Health.

The death toll in Queensland last week reached 25, with people in their 20s and 30s among the victims. Of those deaths, 18 were in the at-risk age bracket of above 65.

In Victoria, three children, aged three, six and 11 were among the recorded 26 deaths. In the state so far over 10,000 cases have been reported.
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https://www.westerntimes.com.au/news/flu-vaccine-shortage-triggered-by-unprecedented-de/3740629/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

JUNE 3 2019 - 5:33PM
WA boy, 10, dies after flu complications

A 10-year-old boy has died in a West Australian hospital from suspected influenza.

A Perth Children's Hospital spokeswoman confirmed the boy's death but would not say whether his critical condition over the past few days was flu-related.

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The case brings the number of deaths in WA from flu-related illness this year to 11, compared to four at the same time last year.
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https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/6197004/wa-boy-10-dies-after-flu-complications/?cs=7

 

[tetano]

[h=1]More than 200 flu deaths with peak to come[/h] The flu has killed more than 220 people and infected more than 100,000 across Australia this year, with authorities warning the peak of the flu season is yet to come.


At least 228 people have died from flu-related complications around the country, with the number of cases rising each week and tracking significantly higher than last year, according to data from Australian states and territories.


In NSW, seven people died in the week ending June 23, bringing the total number of flu-related deaths to 57 - the highest in the country.


Dr Vicky Sheppeard, NSW Health Director of Communicable Disease, said flu outbreaks in aged-care facilities were to blame for the most recent deaths, with 12 confirmed influenza outbreaks reported this week.

https://www.maitlandmercury.com.au/story/6247527/more-than-200-flu-deaths-with-peak-to-come/?cs=7

 

[tetano]

[h=1]National flu death toll tops 250[/h]
The nationwide total of more than 130,000 cases is already more than double 2018?s 12-month tally, and concerns are growing after reports that lab testing has confirmed the H3N2 influenza strain has mutated, potentially impacting the effectiveness of vaccines.

Most recently, a 13-year-old Victorian girl died at home only three days after falling ill with flu-like symptoms, while last week a two-year-old boy in Western Australia lost his life after his condition deteriorated rapidly.

A spate of influenza cases has prompted emergency warnings in South Australia, where to date there have been about 20,000 confirmed cases compared to around 1500 at the same time last year, while New South Wales has urged friends and relatives of aged-care residents to get vaccinated to prevent further outbreaks.

https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/clinical/national-flu-toll-tops-250

 

[tetano]

[h=2]Flu deaths top 300 but after horror start to season experts believe the worst may be over[/h] More than 300 people have died from influenza this year but experts believe Australia's 'moderately bad' season has probably already hit its peak.
The flu season started early this year after a mild one in 2018, leading to significantly higher numbers of influenza cases than usually experienced by mid-July.
According to the Australian Department of Health 306 people have already died this year.
However influenza expert Professor Robert Booy believes it will be a moderate flu season and not as severe as in 2017.
The Immunisation Coalition chairman said the early start to this year's flu season will probably mean an early peak, predicting the number of cases will begin to decline soon.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...00-experts-say-influenza-season-hit-peak.html

 

[tetano]

AUSTRALIAN INFLUENZASURVEILLANCE REPORT No. 7, 201915 to 28 July 2019


So far in 2019, 383 influenza-associated deaths have been notified to the NNDSS. The majority of deaths were due to influenza A (99%, n=378). Where subtyping information was available, 59 were associated with influenza A(H3N2), 25 with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, and 5 with influenza B. The median age of deaths notified was 85 years (range <1 to 105 years).

https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-surveil-ozflu-flucurr.htm/$File/flu-07-2019.pdf

 

[tetano]

[h=1]Australia experiences worst flu season on record[/h] CANBERRA, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 flu season was Australia's worst in recorded history, data has confirmed.
According to statistics released recently, there have been 257,359 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza so far in 2019, beating the previous record of 251,163 set in 2017.
"In terms of sheer numbers and the load on general practice and emergency departments, this is the worst flu season that's ever been," Paul van Buynder, an immunization expert from Griffith University, told News Corp Australia.
According to the local media report, there had been 587 deaths from the flu, the vast majority of which were of elderly people.
By comparison, there were only 52,000 confirmed cases of the flu in 2018 and 73 deaths.
Australia's flu season typically runs between June and September, but authorities were caught by surprise when the 2019 season started early.

http://www.china.org.cn/world/Off_t...o_ZBwQHxGQR5a9Fl9L-4AzUV5s-tk5c1WiOY5ug3HV5u8