<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jun/08/influenza-vaccinations-recommended-as-cases-of-respiratory-illness-rise-across-australia>
"A range of respiratory illnesses are on the rise in Australia as the colder
weather hits, with the number of laboratory-confirmed influenza in particular
steeply increasing.
The latest Australian influenza surveillance report shows that in the fortnight
to 28 May almost all jurisdictions saw a rise in respiratory illnesses. Of the
57,816 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza reported to the government this
year, 30% were recorded in the latest fortnightly reporting period. The
proportion of people taking time off work also increased, the report said.
Since April there have been 518 hospital admissions of people with confirmed
influenza, of which 37 were admitted directly to intensive care.
However, the number of influenza cases in the community are in line with
historical data. The majority (75%) of influenza cases so far this year are
influenza A, one of the most common types of influenza virus. Influenza B is
also being commonly detected.
Influenza notification rates have been highest in the Northern Territory (572
notifications per 100,000 people) followed by Queensland (343 notifications per
100,000 people).
A medical virologist with NSW Health Pathology, Prof Dominic Dwyer, said; “This
is the start of winter virus activity”.
“There is plenty of Covid-19 as well as influenza A and B and RSV,” he said.
RSV is short for respiratory syncytial virus, which mostly affects young
children and can cause a chest infection called bronchiolitis.
“Influenza B is about a third of influenza detections at the moment,” Dwyer
said. “Make sure you are vaccinated against influenza, as the vaccine covers
the influenza A and B viruses.”
Meanwhile nationally 38,618 cases of Covid-19 were reported in the week to 30
May, an average of 5,517 cases per day. This is a 6.2% decline from the
previous week. But in the fortnight to 28 May, Covid-19 remained the most
commonly detected respiratory virus in New South Wales and Tasmania."
Via Violet Blue’s
Pandemic Roundup: June 8, 2023
https://www.patreon.com/posts/pandemic-roundup-84257540
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
