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| Tracking the next pandemic: Avian Flu Talk |
Flu Outbreak Australia June- Nov 2015 |
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Medclinician2013 
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 Topic: Flu Outbreak Australia June- Nov 2015Posted: June 08 2015 at 12:09am |
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Update - Nov 8, 2015
Influenza Activity + SurveillanceSurveillance of Influenza activity in Australia & New Zealand This report provides a summary of surveillance data collected from around Australia and New Zealand. Regional reporting in some areas ceases when flu activity is low (out of season). Please note that the vast majority of people do not get tested for influenza and that there may also be some delays in reporting confirmed influenza cases. Therefore data presented here maybe underestimating influenza activity. AustraliaCommonwealth Department of Health & AgeingThere have been a total of 93,497 laboratory confirmed notifications of Influenza in Australia at the end of 8 November 2015. • QLD: 27,473 Influenza A and B strains are continuing to circulate at low levels. Influenza activity is likely to remain at low levels until the winter of 2016. It isn't over. The flu did not stop and although it is lower - it is not closely monitored after the last report. Medclinician AustraliaCommonwealth Department of Health & AgeingThere have been a total of 90,372 laboratory confirmed notifications of Influenza in Australia at the end of 19 October 2015. • QLD: 26,994 http://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/flu-cases-at-new-highs-in-2015/story-e6frfku9-1227385749468 MORE Australians have been diagnosed with the flu in the first five months of 2015 than in any previous year. HOWEVER while the government's Australian Influenza Surveillance Report shows case numbers between January and May have reached their highest levels since records began in 2001, the health department says in the report that overall influenza activity as low and stable. The Australian flu season is considered to be between June and October.comment: What do you think about this? It was a hard find to say the least. Medclinician |
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Medclinician - not if but when - original
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jacksdad
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Posted: June 08 2015 at 12:28am |
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Med - sorry to hijack the thread but Johnray has been trying to contact you.
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"Buy it cheap. Stack it deep"
"Any community that fails to prepare, with the expectation that the federal government will come to the rescue, will be tragically wrong." Michael Leavitt, HHS Secretary. |
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Medclinician2013
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Posted: June 08 2015 at 12:38am |
thank you - I will call him asap. Medclinician |
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Medclinician - not if but when - original
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Posted: June 08 2015 at 11:03am |
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Hi Med! The big question is did the pharmaceutical companies making flu vaccine put these Australian flu viruses in this 2015 shot? They missed it big time last year!!!
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KiwiMum
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Posted: June 08 2015 at 12:50pm |
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I was talking a doctor on Friday last week here in New Zealand and we were talking about the flu vaccine. I said that the last one appeared to be ineffective and she said that they had held out for a new vaccine that has had 2 new strains added to it, and they were using it now for the current season. So perhaps that one will work. She had had it herself. I haven't.
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Those who got it wrong, for whatever reason, may feel defensive and retrench into a position that doesn’t accord with the facts.
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Johnray1
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Posted: June 08 2015 at 1:15pm |
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Jackdad,thanks for getting the message through.It is Med.Johnray1
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Medclinician2013
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Posted: June 08 2015 at 2:16pm |
If a man finds one true friend in life - he has done well. God be with you and your family Dr. John Med |
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Medclinician - not if but when - original
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rickster58
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Posted: June 08 2015 at 3:17pm |
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Last years flu vaccine was ineffective in Australia, they totally missed the mark and many who got the vaccine also got the flu.
This year is going to be a bad flu year here, with illnesses reported since January - totally unseasonal for us. My Dr friend is concerned about the number of Whooping Cough cases she has seen so far this year and also the different types of upper respiratory tract infections, that re-occur after treatment. To top it all off, our Govt. is about to make it more difficult for Dr's to prescribe anti-biotics and are removing many generic brands from pharmacy shelves. This is certainly going to be an interesting year. |
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Posted: June 08 2015 at 9:53pm |
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hi Rick...we have a huge problem with Whooping cough in th U.S.. Parents don't like vaccines so don't do it and now we have lots of Whooping Cough. I have to admit I had a booster Tdap because I work in a school but I could still get it just not as bad.
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rickster58
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Posted: June 08 2015 at 9:57pm |
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Hi FluMom,
It seems that even the kids that are immunized are getting it, albeit in a less virulent form. My son was sick for almost 3 months with it and he is fully immunized. |
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arirish
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Posted: June 09 2015 at 7:38am |
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My brother had it when I was young. I'll never forget the sound of him struggling to breathe! It went on 24/7 for several weeks which seemed like months! When he finally beat it he was so weak he missed the rest of the school year! Most people who don't immunize their children don't remember the outcome of diseases like Pertussis, Measles, Tetanus, Diphtheria or Polio! They are diseases of the past like the plague! But only through immunization will they stay there!
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Buy more ammo!
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Medclinician2013
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Posted: June 10 2015 at 7:17am |
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http://www.9news.com.au/health/2015/06/10/15/49/south-australia-heads-for-big-flu-season
South Australian health authorities are bracing for another serious flu season this winter after the state's worst flu season on record in 2014. So far in 2015 there have been 1777 flu cases compared with 757 at the same time last year. But in 2014 SA had a total of 11,050 cases, more than double the 4820 reported in 2013. Health Minister Jack Snelling said local hospitals had developed a number of strategies to deal with the additional demand. These include improving the speed at which patients are seen in emergency departments, home support programs to be allow patients to be discharged earlier and extra capacity in country hospitals. A new advertising campaign will also encourage people with minor issues to see their local GP rather than present to an emergency department. "By doing this, it will free up our hard-working ED doctors and nurses to see and treat patients who need urgent care more quickly," the minister said. comment: Tracking the Flu in AustraliaThere is a great need for an organized and effective strategy to deal with this Flu outbreak. Medclinician |
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Medclinician - not if but when - original
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Medclinician2013
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Posted: June 10 2015 at 7:39am |
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3111789/There-hospital-admissions-deaths-Deadly-flu-strain-H3N2-hits-Australia-doctors-predicting-record-numbers-fall-ill-winter.html This is a truly nasty bug Rickster. Four strains of the virus are circulating, the most common being h3n2. This is what we have to look out for... The new swine flu strain, H3N2v, has shown at least some potential for human-to-human transmission in those 12 individuals, which makes it especially dangerous. Between 2009 and mid-2010, more than 17,000 people died worldwide from the highly contagious H1N1 swine flu strain, leading the World Health Organization to call the strain a pandemic. If there is a large outbreak anywhere in the world and this mutates further we will have a real problem. Medclinician |
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Medclinician - not if but when - original
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rickster58
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Posted: June 13 2015 at 12:09am |
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Three times more whooping cough cases recorded in 2015
Three times as many people were infected with whooping cough in 2015 than in 2014, according to NSW Health data. Data obtained between January and June of both years show an increase from 911 reported cases to 2831. Only halfway through 2015, the number of reported cases is almost equal to the total number reported for 2014, with outbreaks occurring in Wollongong, the Hills District, the Sutherland Shire, Coffs Harbour and Bellingen. Whooping cough is an infectious disease usually affecting infants and young children and can be prevented with a vaccine. Much attention has been brought to this issue by the recent death of Perth infant Riley Hughes, who was too young for immunisation, and who died in March. link |
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Medclinician2013
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Posted: June 14 2015 at 7:09am |
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Would appreciate input here from Aussies as to local flu activity.There is very little out there in the mainstream media about the current Flu situation. Most of the search engines contain links to past flu information mingled with more current dates. The infection rate is higher than last year. QueenslandMedclinician |
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Medclinician - not if but when - original
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Medclinician
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Posted: June 23 2015 at 9:54am |
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Not totally up to date - but the best I have found recently -
http://www.health.gov.au/flureport Although most of this is downplaying the flu levels in Australia, there are a few significant parts which may indicate a rapid increase in cases in parts of the country. As at 5 June 2015, there were 9,449 cases of laboratory confirmed influenza reported, with 1,013 notifications reported in the most recent fortnight. comment: this is in stark contrast to an early report that there were more cases than had been seen in previous years since the Pandemic. The question is how could we go from this... Queensland - 31 May 2015 YTD 2015 (1 January to 31 May) there have been 2,694 notifications, which is 2.0 times the five year YTD mean (1,354.8) for the same period. For more information: QLD Health - Preventable Diseases South Australia to half the number for 6 months in 14 days (fortnight) - that is a huge increase Medclinician |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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Medclinician
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Posted: June 23 2015 at 10:34am |
AustraliaCommonwealth Department of Health & AgeingThere have been a total of 11119 laboratory confirmed notifications of Influenza in Australia at the end of 22 June 2015 |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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arirish
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Posted: June 25 2015 at 12:34pm |
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Vaccine delay to cause horror flu season, say experts Damon Guppy The Courier-Mail June 26, 2015 12:00AM DISEASE experts are warning of a horror flu season ahead with cases at a 15-year high because of the vaccine delay. More than 9100 Australians have so far fallen sick this year with a strain of the virus but the Influenza Specialist Group (ISG) says the season is yet to peak. About a third of these cases (3100) have been recorded in Queensland, where almost 200 people have been hospitalised. But experts say the number of flu victims is far greater, with lab-confirmed cases representing as little as 2 per cent of all cases. An ISG survey revealed one-in-five people who had intended to get the flu shot this year had not done so, mainly because they could not book an appointment with a suitable general practitioner or the vaccine was unavailable. Stocks of the 2015 flu vaccine, which protects against influenza A H1N1 and H3N2, and influenza B, were delayed by a month because of changes to the formula, leaving the vulnerable exposed to infection. ISG chairman Alan Hampson said unprotected people needed to get the flu jab soon, before the disease peaked. The vaccine took about two weeks to become effective, he said. “The early high numbers may well be suggestive of a severe season to follow,” he said. “With the peak of the influenza season usually expected between July and September, there is still a short window for most people wanting protection to be vaccinated.” Sonya Bennett, executive director of Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Branch, said the state’s flu season was due to start soon. “In recent weeks influenza numbers have been gradually increasing, which is consistent with the lead-in to the influenza season, as expected at this time of year,” she said. Dr Bennett said the flu was highly contagious and was usually spread by coughing, sneezing or touching contaminated surfaces. In a severe season, more than 15 per cent of the population will be infected. Each year, between 1500 and 3500 Australians die after contracting the flu, about 18,000 will be hospitalised and 300,000 will visit a doctor. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/vaccine-delay-to-cause-horror-flu-season-say-experts/story-fnn8dlfs-1227415161463 |
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Buy more ammo!
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rickster58
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Posted: June 25 2015 at 1:58pm |
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I reckon that story is BS Arirish, this year's flu vaccine has been available since March or April - well in advance of our flu season.
The current problem we have is because last years vaccine was a flop - they missed several key markers and in fact a whole lot of people who got the vaccine got very sick. |
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Posted: June 25 2015 at 4:16pm |
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rickster just read this thread. Sorry that your son was so sick! So like our flu shot last year it was ineffective.
I hope this year is a better vaccine but as in all years they have to guess! |
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arirish
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Posted: June 26 2015 at 11:35am |
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Rickster_ Thanks for the heads up! I'm not familiar with the The Courier-Mail. I'll refrain from using them as a source in future!
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Medclinician
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Posted: June 30 2015 at 4:17pm |
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http://www.riamsau.org/2015/06/30/health-experts-warn-of-severe-flu-season/
Despite many reassurances and cold water, a storm is coming in Australia. It is a bad flu outbreak and finally some people are waking up. Health experts warn of severe flu seasonJune 30, 2015
Immunization
Australia is headed for a severe ‘flu season with doctors advising people take precautions to protect themselves from getting sick and spreading the virus. Experts are warning Australia is headed for a severe ‘flu season and say this may be due to delays with the roll-out of vaccines early in the season. Australia has had a 47 per cent increase in confirmed cases of influenza this year, with 11,000 cases already reported. Influenza consultant and chair of the Australian Influenza Specialist Group (ISG) Dr Alan Hampson says in an average year, we can expect about 10 per cent of the population will get the ‘flu but this year he expects that figure could rise to 15 per cent. “This year has all the hallmarks of a peak season, but there is still a window of opportunity for people to be vaccinated,” Hampson says. But doctors say it’s not too late to get an annual flu jab, even though we’re almost half-way through flu season. Medclinician |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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rickster58
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Posted: July 07 2015 at 8:10pm |
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Flu hits record number of Australian patients as doctors urge taking advantage of free vaccine
Record numbers of Australians have been diagnosed with the flu this winter, prompting health authorities to renew warnings about vaccination. Health Minister Sussan Ley said the latest figures showed more than 14,000 flu cases have been reported so far this year in Australia. That compares to 9,258 cases at the same time last year. Australia's chief medical officer Professor Chris Baggoley said people at risk — such as those aged over 65, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, pregnant women and anyone with a chronic condition — should take advantage of the free vaccine. "People who had the flu vaccine in 2014 need to have it in 2015, particularly this year, following a rare double strain change in the vaccine," Professor Baggoley said. Influenza is highly contagious, spreading easily from person to person, through the air and on hands. "We need higher uptake [of the vaccine] in vulnerable groups. Immunisation is still the best form of protection from influenza," Professor Baggoley said. Jurisdiction 5-year average 2015* ACT 105 229 NSW 1,666 2,847 NT 208 84 QLD 2,159 4,064 SA 1,089 2,696 TAS 80 169 VIC 961 2,457 WA 648 1,578 Australia 6,915 14,124 Source: NNDSS, extracted 6 July 2015 |
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Medclinician
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Posted: July 08 2015 at 11:17pm |
Good find Rickster. I just saw this a few minutes ago. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-08/flu-hits-record-number-of-australian-patients/6602706 Medclinician |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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Medclinician
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Posted: July 16 2015 at 3:35am |
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http://isg.org.au/index.php/influenza-activity-surveillance/
Influenza Activity + SurveillanceSurveillance of Influenza activity in Australia & New Zealand This report provides a summary of surveillance data collected from around Australia and New Zealand. Regional reporting in some areas ceases when flu activity is low (out of season). Please note that the vast majority of people do not get tested for influenza and that there may also be some delays in reporting confirmed influenza cases. Therefore data presented here maybe underestimating influenza activity. AustraliaCommonwealth Department of Health & AgeingThere have been a total of 16,459 laboratory confirmed notifications of Influenza in Australia at the end of 15 July 2015 For more national data: National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, Australian Influenza Report Medclinician |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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rickster58
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Posted: July 16 2015 at 3:57am |
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We have just had 2 weeks school holidays and a lot of kids got better ... and this week back to school -
So many kids are still sick and their dumb parents send them to school. There is another bug doing the rounds here, it starts of with headaches and low grade fever, severe stomach cramps, non-phlegmy cough, complications include Upper UTI, bowel and gastro. Had it myself this week, came on like a freight train, went from feeling good Monday morning to foetal position, shaking like a leaf by 11am. I had UTI symptoms that cleared up quickly, today I feel normal again. |
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Posted: July 16 2015 at 7:29pm |
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I am getting my flu shot this year for sure!
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rickster58
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Posted: July 17 2015 at 1:54am |
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Good call FluMom
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Medclinician
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Posted: July 17 2015 at 5:58am |
Rickster- I am seeing this bug in the U.S. and I cannot seem to track it at all. It has the same symptoms with severe headaches, extreme abdominal problems much like norovirus, and it has a low grade fever. I still am thinking there is some sort of neuro in this... i.e. the headaches but since it is not flu season here we rarely get any numbers. It is hard to get numbers out of the reporting in Australia. Early on and within the last few weeks several source have predicted a serious flu season coming up. Of course, we hope this is wrong. Medclinician |
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Medclinician
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Posted: July 17 2015 at 6:11am |
Good idea. Yet, it is still a question after last year in Australia, if the new shot will be effective against the virus. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/vaccine-selection.htm 2015-2016 Influenza Vaccine CompositionThe WHO Vaccine Composition Meeting took place in Geneva, Switzerland on February 23-25, 2015 and the vaccine strain composition for the 2015-2016 influenza vaccines was announced on February 26, 2015. On March 4, 2015, the Food and Drug Administration's Vaccines and Related Biologics Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) endorsed the WHO Northern Hemisphere flu vaccine strain selection for use in the production of upcoming U.S. 2015-2016 flu vaccines. All of the 2015-2016 influenza vaccine is made to protect against the following three viruses:
Some of the 2015-2016 flu vaccine is quadrivalent vaccine and also protects against an additional B virus (B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus). This is a B/Victoria lineage virus. Vaccines that give protection against three viruses are called trivalent vaccines. Vaccines that give protection against four viruses are called quadrivalent vaccines. comment: Here is a bit more on the strains that hit Australia last year. Looks like A sample of the flu viruses sent to the laboratory are sent for further testing to determine the strain and more than two thirds of these cases have been the HINI virus or Swine flu. In NSW the H3N2 virus is also common. This strain is more likely to hit the elderly. Scientists are concerned about what they're seeing so far this flu season, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday, a day after the agency advised doctors this year's flu vaccine is not as effective because the current strain of the virus has mutated. Dr. Tom Frieden said researchers are worried that with this particular strain of the virus, "we could have a season that is more severe than most with more hospitalizations and more deaths." The advisory sent Wednesday said 52% of the 85 influenza virus samples collected and analyzed from October 1 through November 22 were different than the virus strains included in this year's vaccine, indicating a mutation, or drift, of the strain. The most common strain of the virus reported so far this season is influenza A (H3N2). In the past, this strain has been linked to higher rates of hospitalization and death, especially for those at high risk for complications, which is usually the very young, the elderly and those with chronic health conditions such as asthma or heart problems. In February, a panel of experts decided on 3 strains of the virus to include in this year's vaccine, based on data about the common strains circulating around the globe throughout the year. Some years the vaccine is a better match to the circulating strains than others. comment: My question to you is whether or not the Aussie vaccine last year missed its target? They did miss it in the U.S.Medclinician |
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Medclinician
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Posted: July 29 2015 at 4:38am |
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http://isg.org.au/index.php/influenza-activity-surveillance/
Influenza Activity + SurveillanceSurveillance of Influenza activity in Australia & New Zealand This report provides a summary of surveillance data collected from around Australia and New Zealand. Regional reporting in some areas ceases when flu activity is low (out of season). Please note that the vast majority of people do not get tested for influenza and that there may also be some delays in reporting confirmed influenza cases. Therefore data presented here maybe underestimating influenza activity. AustraliaCommonwealth Department of Health & AgeingThere have been a total of 20,795 laboratory confirmed notifications of Influenza in Australia at the end of 27 July 2015 For more national data: National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, Australian Influenza Report New South Wales19 July 2015 The influenza season is continuing with influenza B strains predominating.The impact on public hospitals is currently moderate overall but with higher levels of activity in some districts. Influenza activity is expected to continue to increase in coming weeks. Influenza seasons typically last from 8 to 17 weeks. On current trends, influenza activity is likely to peak in late August. comment: Flu activity is up in Australia with some areas seeing very high levels. The is almost no reporting of this by the main stream media. Medclinician |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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Medclinician
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Posted: August 02 2015 at 6:49am |
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Having great difficulty getting reports from the Australian health department on the Flu outbreak. The latest I have been able to get is July 17, 2015 and that was nearly 2 weeks ago with no data released since. If you can find some links or data on the current Flu situation in Oz
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Medclinician
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Posted: August 14 2015 at 7:14am |
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-11/griffith-flu/6687274
Health district issues warning after big spike in flu cases in GriffithUpdated The Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) has issued a warning after a dramatic increase in the number of flu cases in the Griffith area. The Public Health Unit received 45 notifications for influenza from Griffith in July, compared to 75 for the district. Director, Tracey Oakman, says there were received 37 notifications of flu from the Griffith region last week alone.
"Of course not everyone gets tested for flu, and on the back of those notifications which were largely from the community, we also had a three times the usual presentation for respiratory illness in the Emergency Department," she said. "Do a lot of respiratory infection, and much of it is flu." The MLHD is reminding people with influenza to stay away from work, childcare or school as well as keep away from people at risk such as the elderly. Medclinician |
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Medclinician
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Posted: August 14 2015 at 7:17am |
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Posted: August 18 2015 at 6:52am |
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-18/flu-cases/6704342
Flu in Australia begins to spread There's been a big spike in influenza cases across south east New South Wales over the past two weeks. The Southern NSW Local Health District said it had seen a significant increase in confirmed cases in the region. But the director of public health, Tracey Oakman, said the reported cases were probably only the tip of the iceberg. Medclinicianyesterday at New South Wales - Australia |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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Medclinician
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Posted: August 20 2015 at 4:06pm |
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-20/bad-flu-season-rocks-emergency-departments/6713190
Patients are being treated in ambulances outside Adelaide public hospitals as emergency departments are inundated with flu cases. comment: We should be monitoring this for a possible spread to Europe and the U.S. Have no idea what is wrong with the audio on this video but the story is accurate and I am looking for a better link. Medclinician |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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Medclinician
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Posted: August 20 2015 at 4:07pm |
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http://www.who.int/influenza/surveillance_monitoring/updates/latest_update_GIP_surveillance/en/
In Australia and New Zealand, influenza activity increased with both influenza A(H3N2) and B viruses in circulation. |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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Medclinician
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Posted: August 20 2015 at 11:55pm |
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http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/gold-coast-in-grip-of-potentially-deadly-flu-epidemic-doctors/story-fnj94idh-1227488982220
Gold Coast in grip of potentially deadly flu epidemic: doctorsDoctors say the city is in the grip of a flu epidemic that can lead to fatal complications and parents must act quickly to rule out pneumonia if their child develops a fever or is short of breath. Gold Coast Medical Association president Dr Stephen Withers said it was a bad year for flu, particularly the B strain. “People have been extraordinarily sick and in both the adult and paediatric population it’s really taken a big toll on them,” he said. General Practice Gold Coast president Dr Roger Halliwell said anyone who had fevers and shortness of breath should immediately go to a GP or to hospital. Medclinician Gold Coast is a coastal city in southeastern Queensland on the east coast of Australia. It is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and the most populous non-capital city |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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rickster58
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Posted: August 21 2015 at 1:51am |
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Latest figures 20th August 2015
There have been a total of 40,185 laboratory confirmed notifications of Influenza in Australia at the end of 20 August 2015 • QLD: 12565 • NSW: 9613 • WA: 3181 • SA: 7310 • VIC: 6188 • ACT: 698 • NT: 163 • TAS: 467 Doubled from last months figures 
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spam hunter extraordinaire
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Medclinician
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Posted: August 22 2015 at 7:34am |
Putting this up on Facebook Rickster.. Thank you for the information. What strains are we dealing with? What do you think of this? https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/29321858/adult-jabs-boost/ Disease experts predict having a “whole of life” register covering recommended vaccinations from newborns to the elderly will be up and running in 18 months and boost immunisation rates in Australia. They believe waning immunity in the community is contributing to the overall risk of vaccine-preventable diseases in adults and children, particularly young babies and the elderly. Medclinician |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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Medclinician
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Posted: September 01 2015 at 8:48am |
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Now we are told that Australia has just been through a "Horror Flu Season." This a classic example of how we get the news months after it is a serious problem. In New York, in 2009 we had from 500,000 to a 1,000,000 cases that were reported in the tens of thousands. So...
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/national/a/29400918/horror-qld-flu-season-nearly-over/ More than 18,000 cases of influenza have been reported in the state so far this year, with roughly 3000 reported last week alone. This is partly due to the resurgence of the so-called B Brisbane flu, which wasn't included in this year's three-strain subsidised vaccine. Instead, the government-funded dose provided protection against Influenza A California, Influenza A Switzerland and Influenza B Phuket. comment: Does this sound like it's winding down? This season's vaccine missed the primary strain in the outbreak - B Brisbane. Medclinician |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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rickster58
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Posted: September 02 2015 at 8:19pm |
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Strain comeback behind Qld horror flu year
The unexpected resurgence of a strain of influenza no longer included in the subsidised vaccine is partly to blame for Queensland's horror season. Queensland's horror flu season should pass soon despite a strain that was previously vaccinated against making an unexpected comeback, health authorities say. More than 18,000 cases of influenza have been reported in the state so far this year, with roughly 3000 reported last week alone. This is partly due to the resurgence of the so-called B Brisbane flu, which wasn't included in this year's three-strain subsidised vaccine. Instead, the government-funded dose provided protection against Influenza A California, Influenza A Switzerland and Influenza B Phuket. While the nominated strains are set in February in anticipation of each year's flu season, people can pay more for a four-strain vaccine for extra protection. Executive Director of Queensland Health's Communicable Diseases Unit Dr Sonya Bennett said the surprising prevalence of the Brisbane strain was partly to blame for this year's spike in overall cases. "The proportion of B Brisbane does seem to be rising," she said on Tuesday. She said the secondary B strain typically only accounted for about five per cent of cases and was less severe than an A-strain virus. The Brisbane strain had been in the subsidised vaccine mix between 2010 and 2012. Despite its shock revival, Dr Bennett said the department expected the worst to be over soon. "It is difficult to predict when the flu season will be over but figures suggest we are nearing or have reached the peak," she said. But some experts are calling for the federal government to consider coughing up for a four-strain flu vaccine to ensure future flu seasons aren't so severe. Influenza Specialist Group chairman Dr Alan Hampson anticipated this could happen in coming years after the government begins a new tender process with manufacturers. He conceded it was rare for B-strain infections to outweigh their A-strain counterparts, but said this year's experience just reinforced the need for a four-strain vaccine. "Influenza is really unpredictable," Dr Hampson said. "You just don't know until the last moment, until the virus is out there and circulating." Link to story |
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rickster58
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Posted: September 02 2015 at 8:23pm |
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Latest Figures
There have been a total of 56,676 laboratory confirmed notifications of Influenza in Australia at the end of 2 September 2015. • QLD 18220 • NSW: 16085 • WA: 3793 • SA: 9638 • VIC: 7079 • ACT: 887 • NT: 221 • TAS: 753 link to stats |
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Posted: September 03 2015 at 4:50pm |
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Anyone know what strains they had in this south hemisphere this summer?
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Medclinician
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Posted: September 03 2015 at 5:05pm |
Thanks Rickster. Of course, let's hope it will be winding down. For some reason the flu vaccine record as far as targeting the strains which have been causing the problems has not been that good in Australia or the U.S. Medclinician |
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"not if but when" the original Medclinician
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jacksdad wrote: