Australian flu cases rise

[tetano]

There are more Australians suffering from flu this year than last year and experts are baffled by the rise of cases before the August and September peak seasons.

There have been 8000 reported influenza cases this year in Australia compared with only 2000 at the same time last year. In January and February alone there were more than 1700 people already suffering from influenza, compared with just 300 cases last year in the same time.

Influenza rates in the summer and autumn were higher than any in the past decade according to Alan Hampson, an adviser to the World Health Organization and the federal government.

''It has been a very unusual year,'' he said. ''Based on what we have seen this year we might expect a severe flu season.''

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/183466/20110720/flu-flu-pandemic-influenza-cases-rising-cases.htm

 

[tetano]

Re: Australian flu cases rise

Flu rates skyrocket

Australia will struggle to reduce skyrocketing influenza rates this winter unless workers heed warnings not to go to work when infected.

The number of people suffering from flu this year has increased fourfold ? up to 8000 cases from 2000 reported at the same time last year ? and with the usual peak season in August and September still to come, Sydney naturopath Lisa Guy has pleaded with the flu-stricken to help break the cycle by staying home.

A Newspoll survey has revealed that offices are incubators for infection because more than three-quarters of Australians go to work when suffering from a cold or the influenza virus.

Commissioned by Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract?, the online survey of more than 1200 Australians aged 18-64, including nearly 800 workers, showed most usually succumb to at least one cold or bout of flu each year but 77% of those employed head to work regardless.

Lisa Guy said it may be un-Australian to stay at home when ill, but the cost of battling on at work far outweighs the price of being absent.

?The Newspoll showed that of the 77% who keep working with a cold or flu, half of them feel guilty about taking time off or don?t want to let their colleagues down. That?s noble, but misguided,? she said. ?When you are ill, you simply can?t produce the quantity or quality of work you would normally. By going into work you also run the risk of infecting colleagues and continuing the cycle.?

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http://southern-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/flu-rates-skyrocket/

 

[Vibrant62]

Re: Australian flu cases rise

Flu rates are assessed on the numbers of GP consultations.

Whilst an imperfect measure of flu incidence, Google Flu Trends has tended to mirror overall rises and falls in flu rates in various countries since its introduction.

At present Flu Trends indicates a low level of flu incidence overall for Australia, running at about parity for 2010 and well below 2009, and about the same as 2008 for this time of year.
http://www.google.org/flutrends/au/#AU

This may mean that the flu is not circulating at high rates, but it may be uncharacteristically severe this year.

A similar situation can be seen in New Zealand

 

[tetano]

Re: Australian flu cases rise

Flu outbreak worsens


THE number of flu cases reported in Monash is already four times higher than last year, with authorities warning the worst of the season is still to come.

Health Department figures show there were 723 laboratory-diagnosed cases of flu across the state in the seven months to July 12, compared with 234 in the same period of 2010.

Monash figures have mirrored the Australia-wide trend, rising from seven cases last year to 28.

Influenza Specialist Group chairman Alan Hampson said excluding the 2009 swine flu outbreak, this year would be the worst in a decade.

?It hasn?t hit as badly in all states, but we?re expecting to see the number rise in Victoria in the next few months,? he said.

He said the outbreak would put pressure on local doctors and hospitals.

?It?s one of the issues that hospitals need to deal with every flu season, but there?s certainly going to be added pressure,? he said.

Mr Hampson said strains of swine flu had already been detected in Victoria, although people could still be immunised to beat the flu variety.

?The vaccine takes between one and two weeks to kick in, and even though some people have been vaccinated, we?re expecting to see a dramatic increase during the August and September peak season,? he said.

Greater Monash GP Network CEO Leon Massage said at-risk groups - including the young and elderly - should get vaccinated soon and avoid built-up areas where they might catch the disease.

?It certainly seems that we?re having an increase locally this year in the number of reported flu cases,? Mr Massage said.

?Generally, by the time people get the vaccine it is too late for them to fight off the effects of the flu, so it?s important they act quickly.?

http://waverley-leader.whereilive.com.au//news/story/flu-outbreak-worsens/