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Source: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/new...ith-virulent-flu-outbreak-expert/1794224.aspx
Hospitals will not cope with virulent flu outbreak: expert
BY DANIELLE CRONIN OF THE CANBERRA TIMES
05 Apr, 2010 11:44 AM
Australia's hospitals could not cope if there was an outbreak of influenza more virulent than last year's swine flu, a Canberra infectious diseases specialist warns.
Professor Peter Collignon has examined the swine flu outbreak and discovered a litany of problems with the response to the health emergency.
''Intensive-care units in Australia managed to cope with the large numbers of generally younger influenza patients but had major problems and were worryingly very stretched,'' Professor Collignon said in the Medical Journal of Australia, out today.
''This demonstrated the lack of spare capacity in our hospitals and ICUs a problem most apparent every winter.
''Australia's population mortality rate from swine flu was 0.9 per 100,000. If a more virulent virus with a 1 per cent case-fatality rate infected 30 per cent of the population, our hospitals and ICUs could not cope...''
Hospitals will not cope with virulent flu outbreak: expert
BY DANIELLE CRONIN OF THE CANBERRA TIMES
05 Apr, 2010 11:44 AM
Australia's hospitals could not cope if there was an outbreak of influenza more virulent than last year's swine flu, a Canberra infectious diseases specialist warns.
Professor Peter Collignon has examined the swine flu outbreak and discovered a litany of problems with the response to the health emergency.
''Intensive-care units in Australia managed to cope with the large numbers of generally younger influenza patients but had major problems and were worryingly very stretched,'' Professor Collignon said in the Medical Journal of Australia, out today.
''This demonstrated the lack of spare capacity in our hospitals and ICUs a problem most apparent every winter.
''Australia's population mortality rate from swine flu was 0.9 per 100,000. If a more virulent virus with a 1 per cent case-fatality rate infected 30 per cent of the population, our hospitals and ICUs could not cope...''
