Flu Season

[Granny]

Some US experts generally keep close eye on influenza outbreaks in countries who's season starts prior to ours for a heads up of what we might expect for our season. Australia is reporting 'Flu cuts a swathe through nurses'

 

 

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08...htm?site=hobart

 

The Royal Hobart Hospital is cutting back on elective surgery because of the number of staff with influenza.

 

The hospital's chief executive officer, Craig White says six elective surgeries have been cancelled today.

 

Dr White says the hospital is also dealing with a higher number of admissions than normal, many of which are 'flu related.

 

"We have very high level of of staff calling in sick at the moment," said Dr White.

 

"As at three o'clock this afternoon we have 32 staff that have been unable to come to work and we expect that there may be a few more calling in before the end of the day and clearly that has an impact on our capacity."

 

Dr White says the Royal expects more surgery to be cancelled tomorrow

 

 

[Granny]

Media over-reaction or start of something worse than usual flu season? Headline states "mutant flu kills six".

 

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/stor...5001021,00.html

 

A DEADLY flu epidemic is sweeping the country with six people - including five children - killed by a mutant strain of the already deadly influenza A virus.

 

 

While it was first feared young children were the most susceptible to the virulent strain, father-of-three Glen Kindness became the first adult to fall victim to the flu.

 

Doctors across the state are reporting patients presenting with "moderately severe" cases of the flu.

 

The number of people falling ill with the flu in NSW has almost doubled over the past year, with six out of every 1000 presenting at emergency departments with symptoms including fever, headaches, muscle and joint pain and sore throats.

 

While no NSW deaths have been reported, the state's hospitals are on high alert as worried parents swamp emergency departments.

 

A Sydney Children's Hospital spokeswoman said their emergency department had seen a 69 per cent rise in respiratory conditions since last year and a 218 per cent increase in viral infections.

 

Influenza A is the more deadly strain of the flu virus - mainly affecting the throat and the lungs - but it can also cause heart problems.

 

This year the strain has mutated into a tougher form that is harder for people to resist - particularly the very young and the very old.

 

"It has to do with the general population's immunity to a particular strain - it mutates a little bit every year to evade the general population's immune system," NSW Health's director of communicable disease Dr Jeremy McAnulty told The Daily Telegraph.

 

Experts say children under five are the most- susceptible to the virus because their immunity has not built up.

 

Despite the deaths of five children across three states over the past month, doctors last night said deaths from the flu were rare.

 

"While they (flu-related deaths) do occur and they are frightening, they are a rare event. Parents need to be alert but not alarmed," Professor Leon Piterman from Monash University said.

 

Dr McAnulty said parents should be vigilant and alert to any changes in their child's behaviour.

 

He said worried parents should take their children to their local GP first, but if it is an emergency then they should go straight to their local hospital.

 

Health authorities are cautioning parents not to panic, with early figures suggesting the flu spike is subsiding.

 

Mr Kindness, a former soldier, last Tuesday became the first adult to die of influenza A.

 

The 37-year-old, who served two tours in East Timor, died just three hours after being rushed to Blackwater Hospital in Queensland suffering flu-like symptoms.

 

His devastated widow Kathleen last night said she was shocked at the suddenness of her husband's death