tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Winter is now taking hold of Manawatu and so are the greeblies that come with it, warn GPs urging people to get vaccinated against flu before the government subsidy expires in a month.
The MidCentral District has recorded the highest rate of flu consultations in the country for the past week.
The latest Environmental Science and Research weekly update had the MidCentral District Health Board region leading with 27 cases of people presenting to their GP with flu-like symptoms.
Since the sentinel surveillance collection started in 2011, 15 swabs have been collected in the MidCentral district.
Three of these swabs have identified flu, with all three being due to Influenza B.
The next highest region was Capital and Coast with only 12.
National Influenza Strategy Group virologist Lance Jennings said it was important for a large number of people to be vaccinated to prevent the spread of flu and swine flu. About 19 per cent of the MidCentral population are immunised against flu, with 31,520 doses having been distributed to practices so far ? slightly up on last year's 31,440 doses. Nationally 982,000 doses have been distributed.
Dr Jennings said people underestimated the consequences of flu.
"I think that's because most people will get the flu, they'll tuck themselves in bed and they'll get over it. But it can turn into something much worse like pneumonia, and if it's H1N1 09 [swine flu] which is also currently circulating, consequences can be fatal."
Cases of swine flu have already appeared in Auckland, Counties Manukau, Hawke's Bay and Canterbury.
Despite this, the cases of flu are still well below the average for this time of the year, both nationally and in MidCentral.
MidCentral medical officer of health Rob Weir said this year's results were so far better than normal.
"Current levels of influenza-like illness activity for New Zealand are similar to the those at the same time in 2010 and lower than that experienced in 2009."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/5218439/Flu-consultations-highest-in-country
The MidCentral District has recorded the highest rate of flu consultations in the country for the past week.
The latest Environmental Science and Research weekly update had the MidCentral District Health Board region leading with 27 cases of people presenting to their GP with flu-like symptoms.
Since the sentinel surveillance collection started in 2011, 15 swabs have been collected in the MidCentral district.
Three of these swabs have identified flu, with all three being due to Influenza B.
The next highest region was Capital and Coast with only 12.
National Influenza Strategy Group virologist Lance Jennings said it was important for a large number of people to be vaccinated to prevent the spread of flu and swine flu. About 19 per cent of the MidCentral population are immunised against flu, with 31,520 doses having been distributed to practices so far ? slightly up on last year's 31,440 doses. Nationally 982,000 doses have been distributed.
Dr Jennings said people underestimated the consequences of flu.
"I think that's because most people will get the flu, they'll tuck themselves in bed and they'll get over it. But it can turn into something much worse like pneumonia, and if it's H1N1 09 [swine flu] which is also currently circulating, consequences can be fatal."
Cases of swine flu have already appeared in Auckland, Counties Manukau, Hawke's Bay and Canterbury.
Despite this, the cases of flu are still well below the average for this time of the year, both nationally and in MidCentral.
MidCentral medical officer of health Rob Weir said this year's results were so far better than normal.
"Current levels of influenza-like illness activity for New Zealand are similar to the those at the same time in 2010 and lower than that experienced in 2009."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/5218439/Flu-consultations-highest-in-country