The Queensland is on the brink of an influenza epidemic with thousands of cases diagnosed in August, the Australian Medical Association Queensland (AMAQ) says.
The latest Queensland Health figures show there have been more than 12,000 confirmed cases this year up until August 16.
Almost half of those were diagnosed between August 1 and 16 and 92 people were hospitalised.
The AMAQ’s Dr Wayne Herdy said this year’s flu season was shaping up to be the worst in decades.
“I think that we’re right at the very beginning of what’s shaping up to be a fairly significant influenza B epidemic,” he said.
“I’ve been on the Sunshine Coast for 23 years now and I’ve never seen as many flu cases come in in such a short time.”
Dr Herdy warned the official flu statistics were likely to be the tip of the iceberg.
“Only about one person in 10 who gets the flu gets a swab and ends up getting a positive diagnosis so the numbers are probably a lot higher than what we’re really seeing,” he said.
Parents of unvaccinated kids to be called
The Queensland Government has announced it will phone the parents of children who are not properly vaccinated to encourage them to get their shots.
What to do if you have the flu:
- See your GP once you start feeling ill or call 13 Health (13 43 25 84) if you are concerned about your symptoms
- Stay at home – do not go to work or school
- Avoid visiting aged care facilities and hospitals, so as not to pass the infection to others who may be at risk of complications
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or try a disinfectant wipe or sanitiser gel
- Always cough and sneeze into a tissue, and dispose of tissues quickly
- Keep surfaces such as door handles, kitchen bench tops, phones, and keyboards clean
- Drink plenty of fluids and rest
- Paracetamol is useful for a fever
Health Minister Cameron Dick wants to lift the vaccination rate for the state’s children from 92.3 per cent to 95 per cent.
He said the Government would begin calling the parents of 35,000 children under the age of five who did not have their vaccinations up to date from October 1.
The “Drive for 95” phone call program would cost about $1.5 million
“This is opening up another front in our war against preventable diseases in Queensland,” Mr Dick said.
Mr Dick said apart from the obvious health benefits, the vaccination drive would ensure parents and children are not excluded from the Commonwealth Child Care Benefit, which will require children to be immunised from January 1.
The state’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeanette Young, said if a level of 95 per cent of vaccination in the community was not reached, diseases previously eradicated could reappear in the state.
“A lot of those diseases are still very significant diseases elsewhere in the world, and when (unvaccinated) people go overseas they can bring them back and we see them emerge again,” she warned.
Flu season makes comeback with ‘hiss and roar’
Council of general practice for AMAQ Dr Richard Kidd told 612 ABC Brisbane’s David Curnow that the influenza B strain was doing the most damage at present.
“There are 66 people who have been put in intensive care this season and some of them are doing quite badly,” he said.
“The flu season has made a comeback with a hiss and a roar.”
Dr Kidd said the delay in the flu vaccine this year was also having an effect, and a new 4 strain, or quadrivalent, flu vaccine that includes the influenza B strain, had only recently been released.
“The World Health Organisation’s delayed recommendation to add the influenza B strain to the vaccine was late for our season,” he said.
“This is the vaccine not subsidised by the Government, therefore not as many people have had it.”
Dr Kidd advised people to be vaccinated – even if they had already contracted the flu – with the 4 strain vaccine.
“Although this vaccine isn’t subsidised, it will only cost $20 to $30 to cover this specific vaccine,” he said.
“Older people and young children should especially seek it out as they are more prone to it, as well as anyone who has a condition that affects their immune system.”
with AAP