Twindemic mayhem as flu overtakes Covid

New Zealand is in the grip of a ‘‘twindemic’’ as a severe flu season combines with Covid-19 to put stress on the health system and leave workplaces depleted, with staff off sick.

Of patients recently admitted to hospital with acute respiratory illnesses, testing showed more than 50% had the flu, while 20% had Covid, the Ministry of Health has reported.

General practice doctors, schools and businesses around the country say they are struggling to provide their usual services with so many workers falling ill. A ministry spokesperson said ‘‘high levels of influenza and other respiratory viruses’’ were circulating, as well as Covid.

‘‘Early data shows there is a good match between the flu viruses being seen this year and the flu strain in this year’s vaccine.

‘‘ So if you have not had a flu vaccination yet, please get one.’’

The flu dashboard of the Institute of Environmental Science and Research reported more than three times as many people in recent weeks were selfreporting flu symptoms of fever and cough than at the same time last year, and about 20 times more than in June 2020.

Professor Michael Plank, from the University of Canterbury, said there were ‘‘some nasty bugs going around’’, including a gastro bug and the flu.

‘‘We haven’t really had any flu for a couple of years. If you feel unwell, stay home.’’

Dr Bryan Betty, a Porirua family doctor and medical director of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs, said the flu this year was ‘‘much worse’’ because the closed border and other Covid precautions had suppressed cases in the past two winters. They were also seeing cases of other bugs such as RSV, the virus that hit the country badly last winter, he said.

‘‘Right around the country we are getting very high levels of respiratory illnesses and there is a lot of extra demand on services. Influenza has really taken off and we are still seeing significant Covid,’’ Betty said.

‘‘We are seeing people reasonably unwell.’’

The winter illnesses had hit at a time medical practices were already short of staff and some patients would have to be patient, he said. His own practice had three nurses and three doctors off sick last week.

GP surgeries were coping by prioritising acute patients over routine appointments that could safely wait, triaging patients and using telemedicine via phone or video consultations, Betty said.

He advised anyone with a mild res