THE number of flu cases reported in the South West has jumped by more than 70 per cent compared to this time last year.
The spike has prompted the WA Country Health Service South West to put out a call for people to get a flu vaccination.
For those most at risk, the flu can lead to serious complications such as bronchitis, pneumonia or in severe cases, death.
Public health physician Dr Naru Pal said he was also concerned at the higher rate of people with flu who were being hospitalised.
‘’A total of 43 confirmed cases have been reported to the WA Country Health Services South West Public Health Unit to date in 2015, compared to 25 cases at the same time last year, Dr Pal said.
“The most worrying thing is unusually high number of hospitalisations in young and middle-aged adults.
“So far this year, more than one in three confirmed cases have required hospitalisation and 60 per cent of them are in 40-59 year age group.”
In 2014, almost 350 laboratory confirmed cases of flu were notified, the highest number of notified cases in the South West in any year to date.
Dr Pal said that the 2015 trivalent vaccine contains three seasonal influenza strains - the swine flu A (H1N1), A (H3N2) and B/Phuket – with two strain changes from the 2014 vaccine to provide effective protection against a deadly strain that circulated in most recent flu season in the northern hemisphere.
“Flu is a highly contagious and potentially serious disease that mainly spreads by droplets produced when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes,” Dr Pal said.
It can also be spread through touching surfaces contaminated with infected droplets.
“People should get vaccinated as soon as vaccines are available as it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to be fully protective.”
Dr Pal said the flu vaccine available this year appeared to be a good match for circulating flu viruses in the community.
Free flu vaccine is available to people considered more vulnerable to severe influenza, including persons aged 65 years and over, pregnant women, Indigenous people aged 15 years and over, children from six months to less than five years of age and anyone over six months of age with chronic health conditions.’
Dr Pal said that it is safe for pregnant women to receive the flu vaccine and it can be given at any time during pregnancy.”
The flu vaccine is available free of charge to at-risk groups and for a fee to the general community through GPs, Aboriginal Health Services and community vaccination providers. Attendance at some clinics may incur a consultation fee.
WA Health provides an influenza factsheet and other related information at health.wa.gov.au/flu/home
