Free flu jabs as cases triple
QUEENSLANDERS are urged to received their free flu vaccinations as cases triple across the Downs in one week.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday announced the free jab program, with growing concerns among officials of a severe influenza A outbreak.
“We have seen how difficult it has been to fight Covid-19 … to fight Covid-19 and the flu is double hard,” she said.
Lab confirmed cases of influenza A in the Darling Downs rose from 31 to 98 in one week this month, according to the Queensland Health website.
Last week there were 1848 cases of influenza A statewide and this week there were 4282, including 151 in hospital and 10 in ICU.
“Influenza cases in Queensland tend to peak in August but we’ve seen quite a jump in recent weeks with new cases across the state,” Darling Downs Public Health Unit’s Dr Liam Flynn said.
“We are cautiously monitoring the rise in flu cases and have plans in place to manage the expected increase as we head into the cooler months.
“Influenza is not the same as a common cold or Covid-19, but if you’re feeling unwell it might be difficult to tell what kind of virus you have.”
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the state had the same number of hospital admissions that were seen during 2017’s flu outbreak.
“This is escalating very quickly. We expect in the next two to three weeks that our cases will end up at least doubling … and that won’t be the peak,” she said.
Ms Palaszczuk confirmed that the state had budgeted $40m for the flu vaccine rollout, and said the virus was “nothing to laugh about”.